No More Nightmares
by Discordant Night
Summary: When Percy saves Reyna's life one night, he never dreamed he fall in love with her. Meanwhile, Reyna has a few dreams (not to mention nightmares) of her own. Will she be able to overcome her fears and achieve her dreams? Percy X Reyna. Uses characters from PJO and HoO, along with a spattering of OCs. AU. Rated T for Language and Violence.
1. Chapter 1: Fated Encounter

*DISCLAIMER* I OWN NONE OF THE PERCY JACKSON CHARACTERS. If I did... Well, this wouldn't be up here, would it?

Before Percy saved her, his day pretty much sucked ass. To start it off, he was rudely awakened by his mother pouring a bucket of ice-cold water on his head. Now normally he would have liked the water, if he wasn't asleep. "Chores had to be done," she said, "before you can sleep or do anything else."

So he did his daily duties and slept a little longer, only to be late for an appointment with his therapist, whom the 'experts' up at the high school had recommended right before school let out for the summer. So far, nothing was going in his favor.

As if that wasn't bad enough, a friend of his called him later that day to let him know that his "faithful" girlfriend had a different boyfriend on the side she had been seeing for about a month or two now. This, needless to say, did not make him happy.

To top it all off, he went to a party to try and calm his nerves, only to be barraged by everyone's questions about his now-ex. He left after he punched someone in the gut, making them vomit all over the person in front of them.

Percy was thoroughly pissed as he headed home. He lived only a block or two from where the party was being held, so he walked in the first place, trying to save on gas.

As he passed the small alley in between the streets, he heard sounds of laughter followed by a few grunts of pain, as if somebody was being punched or beaten. Percy was generally a pacifist, but next he heard a girl cry out in desperation. "Anybody? Please, help me!" Her scream was cut off by the sound of boots against flesh.

This was the last straw. As he marched into the alley, he saw what all the commotion was about. Strewn about the alleyway were about 6 guys, all late teenage or early twenty years and wearing black bandannas around their forearms. Judging from the matching scowls on their faces, something serious had gone down between the girl hunched in the middle of the alley and them.

"Hey fucktards!" Six heads swiveled in his direction as he walked deeper into the alley. "Why don't you pick on someone your own size?"

One of the guys laughed and cracked his knuckles. "Like you?"

Percy smirked. "Exactly."

"Oh, you're on, squirt!" The one who had spoken before rushed him as Percy readied himself. 10 yards before impact. 5 yards. Then 3 yards. At the last moment, he sidestepped and thrust an arm out to his side, slamming into his attacker's throat and knocking him to the ground unconscious.

"Who's next?" Percy was feeling good about this fight. It gave him a much needed outlet for all his anger.

Yelling as they converged upon him, two stayed to the left while the remaining three advanced from the right. A quick jab to the stomach made one man double over, then an elbow to his neck took him to the ground. Percy turned just in time to receive a punch to the jaw, followed by an attempted kick to his groin, which failed due to a hasty step backwards. Wiping his jaw, Percy felt a slow trickle of blood on his lip and flicked the blood on his fist to the ground. He then proceeded to smash his foot into the previous attacker's shin, causing him to fall and clutch his knee in pain. A sharp knee to the face took care of him.

So far it was Percy: 3, Gang members: 0.

Two of the fighters nodded to each other, seeming to come to an unspoken agreement. One of them swung high, while the other kicked low. Percy saw this and jumped in time to avoid the sweeping kick, however he jumped right into an uppercut swing from the former. Knocked backwards, Percy landed on the ground near the girl, rolling at the last moment to avoid crushing her.

"Not so tough now, are you?" The fighter who had yet to attack was taunting him.

He stood to his feet and rolled his shoulders. "Still tough enough to beat you three pussies," he countered.

At this the double-teamers charged Percy. The kicker began to take potshots at his head, while the other started aiming for his neck and sides. He began to back up, dodging blows until he found himself up against a wall. The two assailants smiled sadistically and pulled back for a final blow. They swung and Percy dropped down, hearing their fists snap against the cinder-block. Moving behind them, he grabbed their hair and slammed their heads against the concrete wall, with a satisfyingly nasty crunch as they were knocked unconscious.

Percy turned to the final kid and popped his neck. "Look, dude. I really don't want to have to hurt you. Now are you going to do this the easy way, or the painful way?" He finished the sentence with a stare that said 'However bad you think you are, I'm worse.' The kid turned tail and ran as if all of Hell had been loosed.

Percy smiled. "I thought so."

He made his way over to the girl and tapped her on the back. "Hey, you're safe now. They're gone." The last part wasn't exactly true, seeing as they were unconscious.

She looked up at him, and the first thing Percy noticed was her hair. While it had a few patches of blood tangled in, he could tell that it was naturally jet black. The second were her eyes. Dark and mysterious, they sparkled with bemusement, admiration, and something a little more sinister... He couldn't place his finger on it.

"Here, take my hand." He held his hand out for her and she grabbed hold, pulling herself up before brushing herself off, wincing from the obvious bruises on her sides and torso. Together they walked to the mouth of the alley.

She smiled softly and hugged him before checking her pockets and sighing, content to find what was there.

"How are you feeling? Not too beaten, I hope?"

The girl looked down at her bloodstained shirt and cuts, then shrugged.

"It's fine really. I've had worse."

Percy nodded, unconvinced. However, he really didn't want to argue with the girl he just saved. "Why were those assholes attacking you anyways?" His voice held a note of concern.

She pulled a silver ring from her pocket and held it up for Percy to see. "A girl needs to eat, right?"

Percy gaped. "You mean you're..." He trailed off as the girl sighed.

"Look, if you're going to pity me, don't. It took me four years to escape, and nothing you can say will convince me to go back to that hell hole. " She glared at Percy, who was holding his hands up in defense.

"Sorry."

She waved away his apology."I hear that way too often. 'Sorry your parents died, kid. Sorry, we can't help you.' Sorry, sorry, sorry. That's all I ever hear." She sighed again. "I'm getting sick and tired of being tired..." Her eyes dropped.

Percy couldn't help but feel sorry for her. "You know, if you ever need a place to rest, I live just down the street."

Her attitude perked up, if only a little. "And how would I know which house is yours?"

Percy laughed softly and pointed down the road. "Third house on the right, with the blue flowers by the walkway. You'd have to be colorblind to miss it."

The girl nodded, then turned to Percy. "Thanks, um..." She paused for a minute, realizing that she had no idea what his name was.

He smiled. "Percy. Percy Jackson."

"Percy... what a beautiful name." She whispered his name to herself a few times, relishing the way it felt in her mouth.

He spoke again. "And you are?"

The girl smiled softly. "Reyna. It's Reyna."

Percy nodded, then glanced at his watch and cursed as thunder rolled overhead. "Listen Reyna, as much as I'd love to stay and chat with you, I have a curfew to keep." A shadow crossed his face momentarily. "Otherwise, I'll be in big trouble myself."

Reyna's dark eyes sparkled with amusement as she smiled. "Well Mr. Jackson, I guess you'd better get going. You wouldn't want to be punished for helping me, now would you?"

Percy laughed. "No, I guess not. I'll see you around, Reyna."

As Percy turned to go, Reyna grabbed his hand and pulled him back.

"Percy?"

"Yes, Reyna?"

Suddenly he felt a stinging pain across his left cheek as she backhanded him.

"That," she shook her hand, "was for fighting for me."

Percy rubbed his cheek tenderly. "That's going to leave a mark."

Reyna giggled. "And _this_," she kissed his other cheek, "is for caring about me enough to fight. Thanks, Percy." She turned to go.

"Um.. you're welcome... I guess."

As she walked away, Percy could think of only one thing: When, if ever, would he see her again?

Abruptly his phone rang, breaking his train of thought. He answered it.

"Hello?"

"_PERSEUS JACKSON! Why the hell aren't you home yet?"_

Percy swore, then checked his watch; ten minutes until curfew. He sighed.

"I'm on my way mom. I had to help a friend."

"_Well, hurry home. It's starting to rain, and it doesn't look like it will stop anytime soon. In fact, it looks like a thunderstorm."_

He shuddered. He didn't mind the rain, it was the lightning he was afraid of. Inches away, raindrops began to splatter heavily on the asphalt.

"Ok, mom. I'll be home in a few minutes."

_"Alright. Lock the door behind you, ok?" _

He let out an exasperated sigh. "I know mom. Bye."

He ended the call before she could get another word in. "Good god, she can be annoying."

Shoving his phone in the pocket of his jacket, Percy set off down the road, clothes growing heavier by the second.

* * *

A few blocks away, Reyna was drenched. After she had left Percy, Reyna wandered in search of somewhere to pawn the stolen ring. However, there was one problem. At 11 o'clock at night, any and all pawn shops were closed, and without the money she would have gotten from the ring, she was broke. Reyna sighed.

"If only I hadn't snapped at Percy like that," she thought. "I might have had a place to sleep, maybe even some food.."

As she walked along the road, a few shop lights still flickered sporadically. In an alley to the side, Reyna glimpsed a small pair of eyes, then heard a soft mewl. Her heart jumped in her chest as she made her way to the alley and bent down to pick up a small bundle of fur.

"Your'e just like me, aren't you, little one? All alone, no family or home, and without a scrap to eat.." She whispered to the malnourished kitten, stroking it's back lightly. The kitten purred.

Reyna tucked the kitten inside her shirt, keeping it warm... At least for now anyways. She wasn't sure how long she would last, much less the kitten, in this freezing rain. Reyna looked desperately for somewhere to dry off, to no avail.

"Well, little one, I guess we're all alone right now."

_"No you aren't, Reyna." _A little part of her mind tugged at the rest, urging her to remember earlier that night.

She waved the thought away. "I can't go back to him. Not after he helped me so much already."

_"Oh, but you can. He said it himself. You need a place to rest, to dry off. "_

She thought about Percy, his warm smile and the way he fought like his own family was in danger.

The thought of asking him for help again killed her, but the tiny part of her mind was correct. She DID need a place to stay, at least temporarily. If she was quick, she might be able to be gone before he woke the next morning.

She looked down at the kitten. "What do you think, little one?"

The kitten mewled softly.

Reyna smiled. "It's decided then. The worst he could do is refuse."

Another mewl.

She headed down the street, running back to where she first met Percy and looked down the street towards what she thought was his house.

"Third house on the right... Blue flowers."

A flash of lightning revealed the house, complete with bright blue flowers by the walkway, just as he had said. She sprinted towards it, holding her chest so the kitten would be safe.

* * *

Percy was exhausted. The fight against the gang members had taken a lot out of him, even though he had trained for fights before. But for now, he had decided he wasn't going to think about that. Instead, he needed to figure out which console would make the least noise, in order to avoid waking his mom.

He decided that the old-school Gamecube would make the least noise, and popped a disc in, then powered it up. Passing the title screen, he had just loaded his game when he heard something. Muting the sound, he waited again.

*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK*

He checked the clock. Who could be knocking at 11:30 at night?

"Probably some lost guy wanting directions," he muttered.

Making his way to the door, he opened it slowly, then smiled.

"Hey Percy."

* * *

And... That's it for chapter one! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE review honestly. I need tips, corrections, notes, or anything else that will help me become a better writer. If you flame, you will be blocked. If guests flame or spam, they will be disabled. Thanks to Luna-Soul-Sky for inspiring me to do this, and all the guys on the martial arts club for help with the fight scenes.

Next Chapter: A Good Nights Sleep.


	2. Chapter 2: A Good Nights Sleep

"Hey Percy."

Percy blinked, his ridiculous smile fading from his face. "Reyna! I thought I'd never see you again. Well, at least not for a while, anyways.."

Reyna looked like she'd just come from a swim in the ocean, only fully clothed and without the fun. From within her shirt, a tiny head poked out.

"Meow?"

Reyna's teeth chattered as she shivered violently. "I-I'ts g-g-good to s-s-see you t-too, Percy." She was beginning to shudder as the cold rain soaked into her bones even further. "You said..."

She cut off as a chill ran through her. Percy nodded.

"I did say that. Come inside, I'll get you a towel."

She stepped inside and shut the door as Percy ran to grab a towel.

"I didn't think you'd hold to it, especially after I slapped you like I did. I would understand if you didn't want me here."

Percy came back with a smile on his face and a towel in his hands. "Here, dry yourself off."

As he handed the towel to Reyna, the tiny head he saw before poked itself out again and mewled. Percy smiled at the kitten as he began to reach for the bundle of fur, then stopped himself.

"Would you...?" He motioned to the kitten.

Reyna looked down at the kitten in her shirt. "Oh, sure. Just... Turn around, will you?"

Percy turned his head and she pulled the kitten from her shirt. "Here." She handed him the kitten. "Um, Percy?"

He looked up from the kitten. "Yeah, Reyna?"

She shivered visibly as she tried to work out what to say. Finally she decided. "Do you mind if I take a shower?" That seemed the most logical thing to do right now.

Percy blinked. "Sure, anything you want." He pointed down the hall. "First door on the left. Don't hesitate to use whatever you find in the cabinets."

She nodded. "Thanks. Take care of her for me, will you?" She nodded to the kitten.

"No problem. I should have some tuna in the pantry." He turned and walked into the kitchen.

* * *

Reyna headed into the bathroom and looked around. It was about 9' x 11' ; the average bathroom in other words. There was a sink and mirror by the door, then to the right of the mirror was a cabinet filled with towels and hygiene products. Under the cabinet sat the toilet, respectably clean. Next to the door was a picture of Percy and an older woman, his mom most likely.

The shower was of the walk-in type, with an opaque sliding glass door and a small ledge where she could sit if she wanted. She could remove the shower head from the base, which helped extremely. She sighed, content for the moment.

"Well, it's more than I had before I met him," she muttered. "At least he's been kind to me."

She opened the cabinet and gazed inside, finding a bottle of shampoo and conditioner next to a box of women's razors. Smiling, she pulled these out and set them on the aforementioned ledge.

Reyna made a mental note to thank Percy later for his kindness, then turned on the water, shed her soaked garments and kicked them beside the toilet, then stepped into the shower, closing the sliding door behind her.

* * *

Back in the kitchen, Percy had made a relatively small bed for the kitten on the floor out of one of his mom's old slippers, then found some tuna in the pantry and opened it, placing it in a Tupperware bowl and set it in front of the kitten.

The kitten sniffed the tuna, then snatched a piece up and began to chew. He didn't know much about cats, but apparently kittens liked tuna fish.

Soon the kitten looked up at Percy as if asking, "More?" Percy laughed. He pulled a bowl from the dishwasher and some milk from the fridge, then poured a little into the bowl, setting it before the feline and putting the milk back.

Again, the kitten investigated the bowl, then began to lap at the milk before curling up in the makeshift bed.

From inside the bathroom, he heard the water turn on.

"Reyna's started her shower," he stated to nobody in particular. "She'll need some dry clothes."

Percy left the kitten in the kitchen and headed for the one area of the house that was forbidden to enter: his sister's room. Well, technically it USED to be her room, seeing as she had died a while back, but nobody liked to talk about that.. However, his mom still kept everything nice and orderly, exactly as it was the day she left.

He winced as he crossed the threshold into his deceased sibling's room, painful memories flooding back. He shook his head to clear them from his mind.

Percy's older sister had been a little bit of a tomboy, preferring cargo pants and hoodies over skinny jeans and short shirts. Even still, his sister had a few girly-type clothes. Crossing to the dresser, he opened ht uppermost drawer and rummaged around before pulling out a pair of black panties and bra. He didn't know how he knew, but Reyna looked about the same size as his sister had been, so her old clothes should fit Reyna perfectly. He shut the drawer and moved to the closet.

Opening the door of the closet brought even more memories that threatened to overwhelm him. Percy gripped his head as the images faded slowly.

Looking inside the closet, Percy saw dresses for formal occasions, and next to those were a couple spaghetti straps that had never been worn. He shook his head. Those weren't going to win him any favor with Reyna. He dug around near the back, hoping that he'd find something nice, yet modest. He finally came across a grey t-shirt and pajama pants on a hanger together and nodded.

"This will do."

Percy shut the closet and removed himself from the room, making his way back to the bathroom in which Reyna was showering. He could hear the water running still, Reyna's shower taking longer than he had thought. At least it had given him time to gather some clothes for her.

"Here goes..." he muttered to himself. He couldn't be sure how she would react, but he hoped it would be favorable.

Folding the clothes, Percy opened the door to the bathroom and cast his eyes down towards the floor, looking for Reyna's drenched clothes. Spying them kicked beside the toilet, he picked them up and set the dry clothes on the lid of the toilet. He thought for a second, then pulled a towel from the cabinet and set it upon the floor in front of the shower. Turning to leave, he walked out and shut the door behind him, then made his way towards the laundry room.

The laundry room was just a small, enclosed space which held a washer and dryer, the former stacked upon the latter. Percy opened the washer and placed Reyna's garments inside, along with fabric softener and detergent. Closing the door, he started the washer and went back to the kitchen and sat down to wait for Reyna.

At this point, Percy didn't care if his mother woke up or not.

* * *

Reyna turned off the water in the shower and stepped out onto a towel somebody had laid out in front of the doors. She smiled.

"Percy... Whatever would I do without you?" she mused.

The next thing she noticed was that her soaked clothes were missing. Percy again, most likely.

There was a fresh pair of clothes sitting on the toilet lid, and to Reyna's surprise they were all her size. Either Percy was a stalker, or he'd just taken a lucky guess. As Reyna donned the clothes and looked in the mirror at herself, she was leaning more towards the second option.

The bust of the t-shirt was just the right size for her, as if it had been custom tailored to fit her needs. The pajama pants were a little loose, but nothing a quick tightening of strings couldn't fix. What surprised her most was how well the lingerie fit her. The brassiere wasn't too tight, but not loose either. The panty line was perfectly snug, but with a small amount of leeway. Even the crotch fit well. She'd definitely have to ask Percy about that later.

* * *

Percy was on the verge of falling asleep on the table when Reyna walked into the kitchen. She was wearing the clothes he set out for her, with her hair blood-free now, it's natural gleam returned. Just as he had suspected, his sister's clothes fit on Reyna.

"Hey Reyna. I take it you found everything fits alright?"

She nodded slowly. "Yeah, it does, but would you mind telling me why you just happen to have clothes in my size, particularly lingerie?" Her voice dropped a little at the last word.

Percy sighed. He had hoped he wouldn't have to explain this to her. "I had a sister who was about your size. She um, left a while back, so we still have most of her things.. Clothes included."

It wasn't the whole truth, but close enough so that he didn't need to lie.

At that moment, Reyna's stomach growled. She'd forgotten she was hungry until now.

Percy laughed softly. "Hungry?"

She nodded, a little ashamed. She hadn't eaten for about two days now.

He stood and crossed the kitchen to the pantry, opening it and stepping aside. "Take your pick."

Reyna moved in front of the cabinet and mentally gasped. Inside were about a dozen different cereals, along with an even wider variety of snake cakes and granola bars. Near the back, she spotted something that caught her attention.

"What's a Twinkie?" she blurted out.

Percy laughed. "Don't tell me you've never had a Twinkie before."

She shook her head. "Nope. I've never even heard of them before now."

He pulled out the box and handed it to her. "Have one."

Reyna reached into the box and brought out a plastic covered pair of sponge cakes about 4 inches long, yellow and slightly squishy. Unwrapping it, she picked one up and weighed it in her hand before taking a bite. Immediately her mouth was flooded with a half-frosting cream, overwhelming her tastebuds with a sensation she could only describe as heavenly. She swallowed and polished off the package before turning to Percy.

"Those.. Those are delicious!"

He laughed. "I know right? Myself, I'm a little addicted to them, so I have my own stash in my room."

She giggled as she shut the cabinet and looked around the kitchen. "Is there anything else?" She didn't want to ask for too much.

Percy nodded and turned to open the fridge. "Sure. We have soup, spaghetti, sandwiches, and I think some steak from last night."

Reyna's mouth watered at the mention of steak. It had been too long since she'd had any source of meat, and even longer still since she'd gotten steak.

"I-Is it.. I mean.." Reyna didn't know how to ask this without seeming needy. "Are you sure you don't mind if I have the steak?"

Percy nodded and opened his hands. "You're welcome to anything and everything in this kitchen, except the wine of course, that's my mothers'."

She sighed. He was giving her full access to the kitchen, which felt good. "Alright Percy. Thank you."

He opened the fridge and pointed across the kitchen. "Plug that in, please." She looked where he was pointing and saw a microwave.

Reyna crossed to the microwave and plugged the outlet into the wall socket. The appliance beeped once in response, and she turned back to see Percy pulling a plastic container from the fridge, popping the lid off before setting it inside the microwave, lid slightly askew. He pushed a few buttons, and the appliance began heating Reyna's meal. He turned back to Reyna.

Reyna. "Thanks, Percy."

He cocked his head in confusion. "For what?"

She blushed. "You know, taking me in and all that. You've taken me in, given me fresh clothes, and even given me access to your kitchen, which aren't things many people would have done. Plus, I get the feeling it's not because you want in my pants. You genuinely seem to care about me."

"I do care, Reyna. Nobody is beyond caring for. And, to be honest, I really don't care much for sexual dealings at the moment."

She leaned closer towards him, her eyes locking with his. "Really?"

Now it was his turn to blush. While he really did care about her, he was still a teenage guy.

He nodded. "Really."

At this moment the microwave beeped, signaling that Reyna's food was heated. She opened the door and retrieved her meal, removing the lid and placing it underneath the container, moving to the table and sitting down. Percy brought over a steak knife and fork.

"These might help," he said with a laugh.

She took them from him and began cutting a piece off. "Thanks."

While she ate, Percy began attending to the kitten, who woke while Reyna's steak was warming and began mewling. He filled a bowl with water, then took a can of tuna and a package of something else out from the pantry.

"What's that?" Reyna asked.

Percy opened the can of tuna, scooping the tuna into the bowl before turning his head to face Reyna. "Dry puppy food. I took care of a dog not too long ago, and this was some of what's left over. I'm not sure what kittens eat, but I thought I might give her a little and see where she goes from there."

She nodded. "Sounds good."

He turned back to the bag and opened it, pouring a small bit in with the tuna and mixing it up, then set it in front of the kitten. The kitten sniffed it, then took an experimental bite. Swallowing, she turned to Percy and meowed as if to say, "Do you seriously expect me to eat this?" He and Reyna laughed.

"Well, alrighty then." Reyna had finished her steak and stood up, carrying her dishes over to Percy. "Where do I put these?" She didn't want to be a rude house guest.

He took the rejected bowl of food and motioned for Reyna to follow him, heading for the sink. He poured the mixture down the drain, then took the container Reyna held and washed it and the bowl out before turning on the disposal.

Reyna yawned loudly. She'd had a long day, and after taking a beating from those assholes Percy thrashed, she needed a good rest in an even better bed.

Percy laughed softly. "Tired, Reyna?" She nodded. "Yeah, you would be after a day like today. You can sleep in my sister's room. She's um.. not coming back any time soon, so I'm sure she wouldn't mind."

Reyna nodded. Something small inside her withered when he said this, but at least she had somewhere to sleep.

He moved out of the kitchen, heading down a hallway adjacent to the living room and entering a room on the right. Reyna followed behind him, marveling at the room before her.

It wasn't the typical girls' room, with posters and unicorns and bright pink objects of obvious girlishness everywhere, but instead the exact opposite. The walls were a bare, dark red, and so was the furniture. The bed was made up with two pillows and a black blanket, otherwise bare. The dresser looked like mahogany, about six feet tall and contained roughly seven or eight drawers. The nightstand beside the bed held a lamp and a picture of a young woman who resembled Percy, only prettier. She had blond hair and a rather curvy face, complete with Percy's sea-blue eyes.

Reyna motioned to the picture. "Is that your sister?"

Percy, who was busy getting the bed ready for Reyna, nodded. "Yeah, that's her."

She smiled. "She's beautiful."

Percy didn't respond, so Reyna let it drop. "Thanks again for letting me stay here."

Percy looked up from the bed. "My pleasure." He continued for a few minutes, then stepped back from the bed. "Here you go. My room is across the hall if you need anything."

Reyna nodded and slid into the bed, relaxing a little. The kitten, who'd wandered in a few minutes prior, chose this as an opportunity to jump up with her and curl up near Reyna's side. She smiled.

Percy made his way to the door before turning and staring around the room at nothing in particular.

"Is there a problem Percy? I can sleep on the floor if you want.."

He waved her statement away. "It's nothing, just old memories. Goodnight Reyna."

"Night Percy."

He closed the door halfway and turned off the light before heading across the hall to his room. Within minutes Reyna heard the sound of him snoring softly, a sure sign he was asleep. Careful not to disturb the kitten, she quietly slid out of the bed and crossed the hall to Percy's room. Opening the door, she saw him sprawled out on the full sized bed, still dressed in the clothes she'd first seen him in. The fight must've taken quite a bit out of him, too.

Reyna slowly crawled onto the bed beside him, cuddling as best she could with as awkward a position he was in. Laying her head down beside his, she relaxed and tried to rest, eventually sliding into sleep. Her final thought before drifting into oblivion was a hopeful one.

_No nightmares, please don't let there be any nightmares._

* * *

So guys, there's Chapter 2 for you all. Again, please review honestly, because I can use all the help I can get. I need a beta-reader, so if anyone is interested, PM me.

Preyna is one of my more favored pairings, topping Electrocute (Percy and Thalia), and Prophet of the Sea (Rachel Elizabeth Dare and Percy). Please note that these are NOT stories involving the mentioned pair, but rather names of the pairing couple, much like Frostbite for Toothiana and Jack Frost from Rise of the Guardians.

Here's a little challenge for those of you who love the Olympians: WITHOUT using the Internet, name as many Greek Gods and Goddesses and their Roman Counterparts as you can. The winner will get a little surprise from me in Chapter ?.

Good luck, and _Senatus Populusque Romanus!_


	3. Chapter 3 : Darkness Retreating

Reyna knew instantly that she was dreaming. She couldn't explain it, but she doubted that she would even if she was able to.

The dream-room was an exact duplicate of Percy's room, right down to the tiny notches methodically cut from the headboard. She made a mental note to ask him about this once she woke. For the moment however, Reyna figured that now would be a good time to explore the house.

She got up from the bed and paced the room before opening the door and moving out into the hallway, shutting Percy's door behind her. It seemed trivial, but it felt natural, so she let it slide.

Reyna moved down the dream-hall, stepping with caution. Even in dreams you could be harmed, whether you knew it or not. She found out the hard way. She was forcing a look of courage, at the same time holding back a mixture of fear and worry, with a slight hint if hope. Hope that someone would be here to help her, to guide her. Not that anyone would see it anyways. Reyna's dreams were always void of life except for her, which sadly couldn't be said for the frequent nightmares she experienced.

In her nightmares, Reyna would always be in one of a few situations. She might be drowning, or maybe she was being chased by something she could never see. Both were equally terrifying. However the worst one was when everyone she loved was dying, and try as she might, she was powerless to help.

She shook her head and the images fled. She didn't want to think about that, not now, not ever again. She moved toward the living room before noticing a light behind her, which was odd. There usually wasn't any light in her dreams, artificial or otherwise. Reyna turned and gasped at what she saw.

Behind her was a figure cloaked in rays of light, as if they were an angel of sorts. She spoke, her voice tinged with fear.

"Who.. What are you?" Reyna didn't want to know, but she had the feeling she needed to.

The figure, a girl, Reyna realized, didn't speak, however she still heard a female voice in her head.

"_I am a friend. Do not be alarmed."_

Reyna blinked. "Who sent you?"

_"Nobody sent me. I came here of my own accord."_

She nodded. "Why are you in my dream? Usually my dreams are, excuse the saying, dead."

The figure made a sound like laughter. _"I had noticed, Reyna. I am here to help you. Come with me, little one."_

The angelic being turned and led Reyna down the hall to the room Percy had showed her and allowed her to sleep in, then passed through the door.

Reyna sighed and opened the door to find a raging battle between the angelic figure and a consuming darkness overhead.

"What the hell is that?" At the sound of Reyna's voice, the darkness turned and rushed toward her before being stopped by the angel.

_"That is Demios. This being was born from the darkness of your mind, out of your fears and worries. It feeds on your terror, and would like to consume you completely. I have been combating it for you, but I cannot last forever. You must take up the fight for yourself soon."_ The being's voice was strained, as if she was losing strength.

Reyna was shaking now, her mind barely able to process what she was seeing. "What happens if that... " she struggled, searching for the right word. "That thing wins?"

"_If Demios wins, you will die. It's as simple as that. However, you cannot allow this to happen."_

Reyna gasped, taking in what the divine being had said. "How long until you give out?"

The angel struggled against the darkness, fighting back with its own light.

Abruptly, the darkness spoke from within. **"**_**You cannot win, Serena. This girl has been afraid for far too long to resist me **_**_anymore. What you are doing will only delay the inevitable."_**

The angel Serena winced as if she knew this to be true, then turned to Reyna. _"I have but three weeks of your time until I die, then you must carry on the fight."_

Reyna nodded. "I understand. How can I fight?"

_"You must remove your fears, and relinquish the burden to a trusted friend. However, you need to sleep. Go, I shall carry on for now."_ Serena was fighting harder now, the light temporarily overwhelming the dark. She waved her hand, and Reyna fell backwards to the floor, then was jolted from sleep.

Percy was still beside her, breathing softly in his sleep and snoring occasionally. She smiled, relieved, then lay her head back down and looked at the clock on the nightstand. It read 4:17 in the morning.

Reyna sighed, then closed her eyes again and slowed her breathing, returning to sleep.

* * *

Percy woke to find Reyna laying beside him, cuddled up to his side. A look of confusion came upon his face, but he welcomed the company and began stroking her hair. Awake she was like a rabbit, ready to bolt if need be. However, asleep she was perhaps the most peaceful person ever. She shifted, and Percy stopped stroking.

Reyna's lips began to move, almost speaking, but not quite. A single word escaped her lips.

"Serena."

Percy blinked, taken aback. How could she know that name? Serena had been gone for quite some time, and he'd not told Reyna anything regarding her.

He'd worry about it later. Reyna was staring to wake, so he lay back down and slowed his breathing just enough to look asleep. He felt the bed shift as she sat upright. Percy cracked an eye and watched as she looked down at him, then to the clock, and finally lay back down, falling asleep.

Percy looked at the clock; 4:17. He'd have to find a way to explain to his mom why Reyna was staying with him in a few hours, so he'd need his wits about him. Sighing, he shifted so Reyna would be more comfortable. As if in response to this action, a slight smile crept over her face. Percy lay back down and quickly found rest.

* * *

Reyna woke first, the rays of the rising dawn lighting upon her face. Frowning, she recounted the events of last night's dream. She didn't remember much, except for two things: the angel, Serena, and that monster shrouded in darkness, Demios. Serena had been fighting to save her, she realized. If Serena lost... Reyna shuddered at the thought. Beside her, Percy muttered in his sleep, bringing a smile to her lips. She sat up and watched him for a good ten or fifteen minutes before he woke.

"Good morning Percy." Reyna mentally facepalmed at this statement.

Percy looked up at her with a mixture of confusion and bemusement, then spoke.

"Morning, Reyna." He paused, then continued. "Would you mind telling me why you're in my bed?"

Reyna blushed. "I, um.." She looked for the right words. "I get lonely at night.."

Another mental facepalm. How lame could she get?

Percy laughed. "Well, that shouldn't be a problem, now should it?" He thought for a second, then added, "That didn't come out right."

Reyna smiled. "It's alright."

Percy stretched, loosening his limbs. "So..." His face was stone, but his voice held concern for her. "Any ideas as to what we should tell my mother as to why you're staying with me?" He made it sound as if that would be a miracle.

She frowned and thought for a second, then turned to Percy. "Well, we tell her the truth."

"And what would that be?" Percy looked confused.

"That my parents kicked me out, and you offered me shelter for a while until I could find someplace of my own." She paused. "And of course, she falls in love with me and adopts me." She laughed at the last part, causing Percy to smile.

"Yeah, if only." He said this, but he couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness in his heart at the thought.

Reyna slid off the bed and went to the door. "I'll be in the other room. Just... Don't tell her I'm here yet, okay?" Her voice had a hint of fear in it.

"I won't say a word," Percy assured her. "Now you'd better get in there before mom wakes up."

Reyna nodded and left the room, returning to the room Percy had showed her the previous night. Moving to the dresser, she opened the drawers until she found what she was looking for: a bra and panties. She plucked these out and shut the drawer, then opened the closet and looked inside. She wasn't sure what she was looking for, but she found a few items that fit her taste. Reyna retrieved a t-shirt clad with roses and pair of jeans. As she was pulling the shirt out, something in the back caught her eye.

Stuffed in the back of the closet was a black leather jacket, like it had been thrown there unceremoniously. Extracting it from the rest of the clothes, she examined it closely.

The jacket looked to be genuine leather, with a silver zipper running up the front and two small pockets on the breast. The collar was practically non-existent; in its place was an extension of the jacket with a small silver button attached to the left side, which Reyna found allowed the wearer to cover or show their neck as they pleased. There were two similar buttons at the hem. Upon closer inspection, there were two more pockets underneath the breasts, the zipper running upwards diagonally towards the neck. Other than a few specks of dust, the jacket looked rather new, not even broken in yet.

Reyna unzipped the jacket and read at the tag. "Harley-Davidson, 100% leather." She shrugged, then tossed it on the bed.

Gathering the clothes, Reyna moved to the middle of the room and, with her back to the door, began to lift her t-shirt to change. As the shirt rose above her navel, the door opened behind her.

"Reyna..." Percy's voice trailed off as Reyna dropped her shirt and turned, punching him in the face before slamming the door shut.

"God, Percy! Haven't you heard of knocking?"

Outside the room, Percy was clutching his nose, which was bleeding profusely. "I'm sorry, Reyna! My sister hasn't been around for a while, so I've gotten used to not knocking." He pulled his hand away from his nose, then quickly replaced it.

The door opened, and Reyna appeared in the rose t-shirt and jeans, wearing the biker's jacket. She took notice of Percy's nose, then sniffed. "Serves you right. However, I am sorry that I hit you. You should get back in the habit of knocking if you want to remain injury-free."

Percy winced in pain, then stared at Reyna as her words registered. "Was that a threat?"

A smile danced across Reyna's lips. "Maybe.. In the meantime, why don't you take a look at your nose. It looks like it's swelling."She held a hand up to his face and brushed his cheek softly.

As Percy turned toward the bathroom, the door at the far end of the hall opened and a look of horror overcame his features.

"Quick, back in the room! My mother is up!" He hissed. Percy ducked into the bathroom and Reyna into his sister's room as his mother half walked, half stumbled out of her room, heading for the kitchen. Shutting the door as quietly as possible, Reyna sat on the bed until Percy walked in, at which point she jumped up.

"What's going on?" She was worried.

Percy sighed. "She wasn't supposed to be up for another hour at least. Well, we've no choice but to tell her now." Reyna frowned. She had hoped to spend a little more time alone with Percy.

"Fine. I'll wait here." She sat back down on the bed.

Percy nodded and left the room, leaving Reyna wondering what would come next.

* * *

Shutting the door to what used to be his sister's room, Percy gathered his thoughts and followed his sleep-ridden guardian into the kitchen, then cleared his throat.

"Ahem."

Sally Jackson turned towards the noise, then smiled at her son. "Why, Percy! I didn't hear you get up. Would you like some coffee?"

Percy sighed. His mother may be up, but her words were slurred, which meant she'd been drinking. That made his job a little easier. "No thanks, mom. Um.. I have a question.. Well, more like a favor to ask."

Sally beamed at her son. "Anything honey." The alcohol she must have drank had addled her brain.

Fidgeting, Percy explained the situation, starting from the night before. When he mentioned Reyna, his mother's attitude shifted.

"Oh, my little boy found a girlfriend!" Her smile was from ear to ear now.

"Not quite mom.. See, her parents kicked her out and she needed a place to crash, so I offered for her to stay with us. However, she doesn't have anywhere else to go, so I was hoping..." He trailed off, praying that she would get the picture. It took her a minute, but she understood.

Nodding, Sally turned back to her coffee. "I don't see why not. Can I meet her?"

Percy nodded once, then spoke. "Sure, but please try to be polite.."

Waving away this comment, his mother had already started drinking her beverage.

Turning and walking back to the room, Percy prayed that she would like Reyna.

* * *

Reyna jumped up as soon as the door opened to the room she was in. "So? What'd she say?"

The look on Percy's face was a mixture of worry and hope. "She wants to meet you."

"Oh."

"Yeah..." He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, then held out his arm almost jokingly. "Shall we go?"

Laughing, She took his arm and held tight. "After you, kind sir."

Taking this as an invitation, Percy led Reyna out to his mother, where the two women looked each other over with a scrutinous eye before they both nodded.

Smiling, Sally Jackson hugged Reyna. "You're welcome to stay as long as you like, my dear. You can have Serena's old room."

At the word 'Serena', Reyna froze.

"Are you alright, hon?" Percy's mom noticed the sudden stop and became worried.

"Yeah, I'm fine Ms. Jackson. Thank you for allowing me to stay." Reyna pulled Percy back into the room she had been given, then shut the door.

"Ok, Jackson. Who is Serena?" Her voice held a tinge of fear and malice.

"I could ask you the same thing, Reyna." Percy countered. "You were muttering her name in your sleep last night."

Reyna faltered. Surely this couldn't be a coincidence. "Serena is an angel that was helping me in my dream last night, if you must know."

"An angel?" His voice was incredulous. "That's not right."

Now he had Reyna confused. "Why not?"

Sitting down on the bed, Percy took a deep breath and surprised both of them with what came next.

"My sister's name was Serena. She died in a gang fight 4 years ago."

* * *

Well my little Olympians, how did you guys like that? A twist for all to ponder, and for none to comprehend.

Now for the wonderful people who took the time to review:

**Serisaku** : Thank you, and yeah, it is a nice change from the constant demigod stories. Plus, I don't really support Percabeth; instead I feel that Percy would be better suited with Reyna.

**Assassin of Artemis**: Well, Percy is loyal to those he loves, so maybe that's a little hint, hmm? Anyways, thanks for the support. Iif you end up being the only one who takes up the challenge, I'll pm you to let you know.

**Bambino01**: Thanks.

**Mirato**: Thank you for supporting it! Now here's the real question. Would your support be the same if Reyna was the Greek, and Annabeth Roman?

**ChainzOfThePast : **Thanks for loving it! The story actually came to me while I was in church camp, and I wasn't sure how others would receive it. And don't worry, the romance will start soon enough!

Thanks to all of you who have visited and read. Until the next update,

- Discordian


	4. Chapter 4 : Welcome to Camp

_**A.N. :**_Thank you to all of those who have taken the time to read No More Nightmares so far. Anyways, I don't own anyone in PJO or HoO, and probably never will. (If I did, things would be a lot different, that's for sure.) I do however own Serena and Demios.

So, without further ado, I present Chapter 4; Enjoy!

* * *

Reyna wasn't sure what to think of what Percy had just said. On one hand, it couldn't be a coincidence that the angel from her dream and Percy's sister shared the same name. That brought up the matter of how he fought to keep her safe from those thugs. On the other however, it could be just a ploy to get her to like him.

"Say that again, please?" Reyna looked at Percy with caution, searching his eyes for any hint of deception.

He took a deep breath. "My older sister, Serena, was killed in a gang fight 4 years ago. In fact, one of the gangs she was fighting was the group that attacked you."

Reyna nodded, satisfied with this answer. There was not even the slightest trace of deceit in his words, only hatred. Whether it was hatred for violence or for the gangs, she couldn't tell.

"I'm sorry." She found it strange to be saying the same words that she hated to hear.

Percy sighed. Clearly this was bringing up painful memories for him. "Well, if there is a heaven, I hope she's there."

Reyna smiled softly, then kissed his cheek. Astonished, Percy blushed. "What was that for?"

She shrugged. "Just because. Besides, don't dwell on the past so much. It won't change anything, so why bother?" Her voice dropped a little at this, and Percy began to wonder if she had her own story to hide. Suddenly, she perked up again. "Anyways, let's eat!"

Percy smiled and removed himself from the bed, following Reyna out to the kitchen where his mother had fallen asleep again on the counter, mostly due to the alcohol still in her bloodstream. Seeing this, Reyna laughed quietly and opened the cabinet, pulling out an unopened box of Fruit Loops and began opening the cabinets at random looking for a bowl. Opening a cabinet over the counter, Percy retrieved a bowl and handed it to Reyna.

"You'll get used to everything around here after a few days. It's not nearly as confusing as people think." Percy had a bit of mirth in his voice.

Setting the cereal and bowl on the table, Reyna opened the fridge and pulled out the milk, letting the door slam behind her as she walked away. Percy pulled out a spoon and held it out to her as she passed him, smiling. "Don't forget the silverware."

"Very funny, Percy." Nevertheless, she took the spoon and sat down.

Percy opened the cabinet and pulled out a granola bar, ripping open the wrapper and biting into it before swallowing. "So, what are we to do, now that you've found a place to stay?"

Reyna poured a little cereal into the bowl, followed by milk. "I thought I might try convincing you to take me around town, maybe even a spend a day with you."

She sounded pretty calm while saying this, but Percy could tell that she was terrified of being alone. "Sure. I have to warn you though."

She looked up from her cereal. "About..?"

He smiled devilishly. "Well, I have work today. I get off around 4:30, but you can come with me." Normally his boss would have a fit, but Percy had a feeling that he wouldn't mind.

"Where do you work?" She had turned back to her cereal and was now lifting the bowl to her lips to drink the milk.

"I work at a camp for ADHD and dyslexic kids. They don't quite fit in with other kids, so their parents send them to us. We teach them to overcome their disabilities and excel in life." Percy had pulled another granola bar out and was tearing into this one as well.

Reyna stood, gathered her dishes, then moved to the sink and began rinsing them. "So what time do you have to leave?"

Percy looked at his watch. "About 8:15. It's 7:30 right now, so we have a little bit of time to get ready and relax." He moved to the living room and collapsed on the couch, laying his head back. "These last few days have been exhausting," He muttered. "Maybe boss will give me a day or two off."

Reyna joined him on the couch and sighed. "Tell me about it," she added. "I think this is the first time in a while I've been able to relax."

From the corner of her eye, she caught Percy staring at her lips, and she turned so that they were face to face. "Is something the matter with my lips?"

Percy said nothing, just smiled and ran his thumb softly along her upper lip before speaking. "Just a little leftover milk, that's all." She giggled.

"Well, I think I see something wrong with yours." Reyna was leaning closer now, mere inches from his face.

"And what would that be?" Percy asked.

In response Reyna planted her lips upon his in a quick kiss, surprising him. She pulled away, and he started stammering before finally regaining his composure. She smiled.

"Nope, nothing wrong. Just a crumb of granola bar." Reyna laughed as she stood up and returned to her room, leaving Percy more confused than ever.

After a few minutes of staring blankly at the wall, Percy removed himself from the couch and went to his room, pulling off his shirt and opening the closet to pull out his work gear.

The uniform he wore wasn't really a uniform, just a pair of blue denim jeans and an purple shirt that read "Legion Summer Camp" on the back. Shutting his door, he changed quickly, then threw his dirty laundry in the hamper inside the closet. Percy walked over to Reyna's room and was about to open the door when he remembered her warning from earlier. He knocked instead.

* * *

Reyna was in the process of examining the picture of Serena when there came a knock at the door. Smiling, she set the picture down and went to the door, opening it.

"Didn't like the prospect of getting beaned in the face again, I take it?" Her tone was playful, but her words were serious. She wouldn't hesitate to hit him again if needed.

Percy shook his head. "No, not really. Can I come in?" He didn't want to risk another swollen nose, or even worse, a broken one.

Reyna nodded and gestured inwards before stepping aside to allow him in.

He entered and shut the door behind him, then sat down on the bed. "Um, Reyna... Can I ask you a question?"

She nodded. "You just did, but go ahead."

Percy sighed and turned to face Serena's picture, then spoke. "What you said about the angel helping you... You weren't joking, were you?" When Reyna shook her head, Percy continued.

"I thought not. It sounds so much like my sister, but I don't want to believe it." He trailed off as Reyna took his hand.

"Percy, if it bothers you that much, you can always talk to me about it." He nodded.

"I know, I know." He checked his watch and cursed. "We need to get going, or my boss will have my head."

Jumping up, Percy moved to the door and ran down the hall, disappearing through the last door on the left, not waiting to see if Reyna followed him.

She left the room and followed Percy into what looked to be a garage. On one side was a wall filled with tools and equipment that Reyna couldn't name for the life of her. On the other side was a pair of motorcycles, one black, the other red. Upon each seat sat a corresponding helmet. Percy was donning a jacket he'd pulled from a box next to the red cycle and gestured to the black cycle.

"Put the helmet on. We're taking my bike."

Reyna did as she was instructed while Percy pressed a button on the far wall, raising the garage door. Mounting his bike, he motioned for Reyna to get on behind him. She hesitated.

"Um, Percy? I've never been on a motorcycle before." Her voice held a fair amount of fear.

Percy nodded. "Understandable. Just get behind me and hold on tight. I won't let you fall."

Swallowing her fears, Reyna mounted the bike behind Percy and gripped his torso. He revved the bike and pulled out of the garage, heading down the street and onto the highway.

They traveled for about 30 minutes along the highway before Percy exited the road, pulling onto a back road and continuing for another ten when Reyna spoke up.

"Hey, are you sure that your boss won't mind me being with you?"

"Not entirely, but I'm sure I can talk him into it," Percy called back. "Besides, he's in a good mood most of the time, despite forgetting my name most of the time.."

Reyna was confused. "What do you mean?" She couldn't imagine anybody being able to forget Percy's name.

"You'll see." With that, they reached his work place. Percy cut the engine and parked, allowing Reyna to dismount and remove her helmet before he himself got off.

"So, how did you like your first time on a motorcycle?"

Reyna smiled. "It was interesting, to say the least."

"Good. Now, let's get inside before I get a call from my boss." She nodded, then followed Percy inside the main office.

It was decorated to look like a typical forest, except for the desk at the front. Behind the desk sat a porky, middle aged man. He had a red nose and watery eyes, with curly black - almost purple - hair. He wore a tiger patterned Hawaiian shirt.

"Good morning Mr. D." Percy nodded towards the man behind the desk.

"Yes, good morning, er.. Johnson." What Percy said suddenly made sense. This guy looked like he forgot everybody who ever walked through here, let alone his own employees.

"It's Jackson, sir. Percy Jackson." Percy said this as if it was a daily routine.

"Whatever. Just get back into the cabins. Brunner is looking for you." Mr. D gestured vaguely towards the back door before noticing Reyna.

"Hold on, who is this? I don't employ her." Mr. D's voice was curious, but he looked ready to toss her out at a moments notice.

"Oh, this is my friend Reyna. I was hoping you'd allow her to observe the camp as I work today." Percy stood beside her protectively.

Mr. D thought for a moment then nodded grimly. "Very well. She can watch. Now get going, Johnson. Brunner is probably going frantic looking for you."

Percy nodded and motioned for Reyna to follow him. Moving to the back door, Percy removed his jacket and placed it on a hook by the door, then pulled it open, spreading his arms dramatically.

"Welcome, Reyna, to Legion Summer Camp." He entered the area in front of him and Reyna gasped at what she saw. While the outside looked small, there was more to the camp than just what you saw from the front.

They had exited the main office and were staring out at an open field, ranging from two to five square miles. It was set out much like a typical summer camp with archery, horses and the like, but with a few differences.

For one, the horses had no stables, or saddles for that matter. They were corralled in an open field, however, they at least had handlers, so that made Reyna feel a little safer.

The archery was different. Instead of targets, there were clay pigeons and discs that the archers shot at, both launched from a complicated looking machine. The arrows didn't look strong enough to even dent the targets, but as Reyna watched, a disc was launched and immediately shattered by an arrow shot from below. She gasped as the pieces scattered over the field.

There were 12 cabins in the center of the field, with a singular cabin in the center of them all. Each different from the others. One particular cabin caught her eye.

The cabin in question was smaller than the others, with the surrounding cabins nearly twice as large. It held a flag pole in the yard, complete with the camp flag, which held the same words as Percy's shirt. The walls were a dull grey-blue, and the roof was tiled with what looked to be seashells, but she knew that it wasn't really.

"So, where's this Brunner guy?" She asked Percy. She scanned her head, looking for anyone that might be in command.

Percy smiled as a middle aged man approached him. His hair was thinning, and he had a scruffy little beard, but that was normal for guys that age. What surprised her most was the fact that he was in a wheelchair.

"Well, good morning, Percy! I hope that you've had a wonderful week so far." Seeing Percy nod, he continued. "Well, that's good. We wouldn't want a bad day to get in the way of our job, would we?"

Percy seemed ashamed at this statement, as if something similar to this had happened earlier. "No sir, Mr. Brunner."

Brunner seemed satisfied at this answer and turned to face Reyna. "And who might you be, my dear?"

She smiled and extended her hand toward Brunner. "I'm Reyna, a friend of Percy's. I'm staying with him for a while, and he said I could see where he works."

Brunner nodded understandingly and shook her outstretched hand. "A pleasure to meet you. Please, enjoy yourself here. " He turned to Percy. "I need you down at arts and crafts ASAP. We have a newcomer who seems to be taking great pleasure disemboweling teddy bears."

Reyna stifled a laugh. "Those poor bears."

Brunner sighed. "Yes, and unfortunately those bears don't come cheap. Not only that, but he scares the other campers."

Percy laughed before managing to catch himself. "I'll take care of it right away, sir. In the meantime, would you do me a favor and show Reyna around the camp? Full tour, if you will."

The wheelchair-ridden man beamed. "Why of course, dear boy! It would be my pleasure."

Reyna turned to Percy with a questioning look. "Are you sure this is alright? I mean, his is in a wheelchair."

He laughed. "It's fine, Reyna. I'd trust Mr. Brunner with my life." And with that he ran off in the direction of a building across from the archery field.

Reyna turned to the man next to her. "Seriously? Disemboweling teddy bears?"

Brunner frowned. "Unfortunately, yes. Some of the campers we receive have, shall we say, unusual tendencies."

Her interest had been caught. "Like?"

"Well, a few months ago, we had a young man who had a talent for tinkering. Not long after, there was a little girl who claimed to see the future. Both equally strange, yet we take everyone with mental disabilities, not just ADHD and dyslexia. Anyways, where would you like to see first?" He pulled a crudely drawn map of the camp from a pocket on the side of his wheelchair, unfolding it and handing it to Reyna. She looked over the map, then turned to Mr. Brunner.

"I think the cabins would be a good place to start, and we'll see where that takes us." She handed the map back to Mr. Brunner, who promptly folded it and placed it back in the wheelchair compartment.

"Very well then. The cabins it is. Come along, my dear." He started off down the hill towards the cluster of buildings, rolling along in his wheelchair while Reyna walked beside him.

* * *

Down at arts and crafts, Percy was having the hardest time dealing with the teddy mutilator. Apparently the newcomer was convinced that he was a decendant of Apollo, whoever that was, and that he was destined to predict disasters, particularly one having to do with someone named Gaea.

Percy had walked into a war zone, it looked like. One kid was strangling a teddy while the other kids cowered in terror. He was of middle height, about 5' 6", and had shaggy blonde hair matched with crazed blue eyes. Strangest of all, however, was what he wore. He appeared to be wearing a toga over a pair of blue jeans and a t-shirt, with a dagger -a dagger of all things!- attached to his belt. Judging by his voice, Percy could only guess that he was around 18.

When he saw Percy, the guy nearly had a heart attack. "You! I knew that the Greeks couldn't be trusted! First you destroy our camp, and now you kidnap me? How dare you?!" He reached for his dagger before Percy tackled him to the ground, wresting the dagger from his hands.

"First of all, I have no idea what you're talking about. Second, you came here, to MY camp, not the other way around. Third, what the hell are you babbling about? Greeks and Apollo? The Greeks have been dead for centuries, and they're not due for a comeback anytime soon. Now do I have to call the camp director, or are you going to sit down and shut up?" He fixed the teen with the same stare he'd given one of the gang members the other night, and he grumbled.

"Fine. But don't expect me to like you!" With that, he slumped into a corner, muttering to himself.

Percy looked at the dagger and shrugged. Probably some lifelike replica. He pulled out his cell and punched in a few numbers, dialing the main office.

_"Hello?" _The voice on the other end didn't sound too happy about being called.

"Yes, Mr. D? I need somebody down at arts and crafts ASAP. We have a certified nutcase, and I don't belive our camp isn't the right place for him."

_"What are you suggesting, then? A psych ward?"_

"That would be the most logical option."

_"Very well. I'll send someone down immediately."_

"Thank you sir."

Percy hung up. Sometimes there were kids who couldn't be helped. Sighing, he marched out of the building and headed down to the mess hall. After an encounter like that, he needed to eat something.

* * *

Reyna had found the cabins more than interesting, thanks to her guide. It turned out that not all of the cabins are used, despite some of them constantly being over full.

Each cabin was designated to a specific disability, so to speak. Cabin 1 was for campers having heart problems such as arrhythmia, Cabin two was for scarring, and so forth and so on.

The central cabin, however, was used by the counselors during the summer. It was also used year round, but fewer people stayed then.

She'd opted to observe the archers next, curious about how such a small target could be shattered by an equally small arrow. Brunner had explained that the bows had high tension strings which, under pressure, delivered an extremely powerful shot, but she wanted to see it up close.

The archers looked about 15 or 16, and held their bows with a practiced hand. As she watched, a clay pigeon was launched and an archer took up an arrow, nocking, drawing, and releasing all in one smooth motion. The target above her shattered into fragments, dust raining down upon her head.

She turned to an archer. "How can such a small arrow cause that much damage?"

The archer fired off another shot before turning to face her. "See, the arrows and bow are the standard fiberglass blend, but each is reinforced with a triple layer of carbon fiber coating. Using this method, the arrows can be shorter and still have the desired effect, and the bow is stronger and can take even more pressure than regularly built bows."

"Interesting."

"Yes, yes.. Could we leave now?" If Mr. Brunner had legs, he'd surely be shifting from foot to foot right now. It was clear that he didn't feel safe around the archery range.

"Sure. Maybe we can go to arts and crafts now? That sounds like fun."

Brunner sighed. "I suppose I should see how our new camper is doing. Come along."

They made their way up the hill towards the arts and crafts building before they stopped, seeing someone being led from the building escorted by two men in white suits. The boy they were escorting was wearing a straitjacket, struggling against his captors when he saw Reyna.

"Reyna, thank the gods! I knew you could be trusted. It's the Greeks! They're respon-"

He was cut off by a chop to the neck, knocking him unconscious. One of the men turned to her. "Sorry about that, miss. The kid has a full deck, but it's all jokers. If you catch my drift."

She nodded as Brunner turned to her. "A friend of yours?"

She shook her head. "Nope. Total stranger." She walked inside and was shocked at what she saw. Not at the stuffing everywhere, but at the children cowering in terror.

The door opened behind her and Brunner rolled in. Seeing the children, he sighed and turned to Reyna. "I should take care of this. I'm sorry I couldn't give you a full tour; I guess that'll have to wait until next time." He surveyed the carnage around him. "Find Percy, and tell him I'm invoking the Kronos Procedure. He'll understand."

She nodded, unable to understand what the Kronos Procedure could mean, or even where she might find Percy. As if reading her mind, Brunner spoke up.

"You might find him at the mess hall, or in Cabin 13. He spends most of his time there nowadays."

She turned and headed for the door before Brunner's voice stopped her. "And Reyna?"

"Yes sir?" She said this without facing him, afraid of what he might say.

"It was a pleasure to meet you. I hope you visit again soon." There was a smile in his voice.

She smiled. "Thank you sir." Opening the door, she left the building and headed for the mess hall.

* * *

Percy had just sat down to eat his nachos when he heard Reyna calling his name. Raising his hand, he waved. "Over here!"

She caught sight of his hand and marched over to him, plopping herself down beside him and grabbing a chip smothered in salsa.

"Brunner sent me. He said that he had to take care of something, and to tell you that he's invoking something called the Kronos Procedure.." She trailed off at the sight of his face, downcast at what she'd just said.

"Why now?" His voice was filled with despair.

"What? What is it?" She was curious as to what could make Percy so upset.

"The Kronos Procedure is something we've never had to implicate before, but every counselor knows what it is. We shut down the camp for 10 days, and during that time all campers have a complete psychological check. EEG's, MRI's, everything. It's supposed to help keep everyone safe, but why this is the first time it's being used, I have no idea.. He sighed, looking mournfully at his uneaten nachos. "It just means that something bad has happened."

"Oh. That can't be good."

He shook his head. "It's not. Besides, the only people legally allowed to be inside camp grounds during the lockdown are Brunner, Mr. D, and the campers. Which means no counselors."

Suddenly Reyna understood why he was so upset. He'd wanted to spend the day with her, showing her everything there was at the camp.

"I'm sorry Percy. Maybe we can find something else to do during that time?" She didn't mean for it to come out as a question, but it did.

He straightened up. "Well, we could head back home and get some rest, for one. Then afterwards, we might go out on the town. Dinner on me." He looked at her hopefully, and she wasted no time accepting the offer.

"Very well, then." She couldn't imagine where he might take her for dinner, but it seemed too good to pass up. She might actually get him to fall in love with her.

Percy's pocket buzzed and he pulled out his phone, looking at the screen. "Do you mind if I take this?" His question caught her off-guard.

"Sure. Go ahead." He nodded his thanks before standing and answering the call.

"Grover, what's up?"

_" Not much, Percy. Where are you?"_

"Camp. I wouldn't bother showing today, though."

_"Why not? Something wrong?"_

"Kronos Procedure. Brunner's orders. Mr. D is probably already aware of it by now."

Grover's voice filled with anxiety. _"Seriously? Why now?"_

"No idea. But Brunner ordered it, so there must be a good reason."

_"Point taken. So where should we meet? The usual?"_

"No, not today. I have a friend with me, and I promised her we'd spend some time together. Sorry man."

_"It's cool. See you tomorrow then?"_

"Same place, same time. Oh, and alert the other counselors of what happened."

_" 'K. Later Percy."_

With that the line went dead, and Percy hung up. Turning back to Reyna, he smiled. "Shall we go?" He held out his hand , emphasizing this point. Taking it in her own, she stood and giggled. "Yes, I believe we shall."

Marching towards the main office, Reyna's day was already going better than expected.

* * *

So, here's the fourth chapter! I hope you all like it, because I've yet to stop.

And now for shout-outs!

**MortalFantasy0002 - **I'm glad you like it! It is rare to find a good Preyna story, and even one that is AU at that. Of course, I wasn't sure how many people supported Preyna, but hey, I like being different! Also, Serena was completely on a whim, and Demios **is **from mythology. Just look it up. I'm sure you'll find the connection. And you'll figure out the connection with Serena and the angel soon enough, if you haven't already.

**PercabethFluffAnnoysMe **- I wouldn't go so far as to say that it's awesome, but thanks for the support! I like this pairing over the original, and I have a bunch of ideas for them. I don't really think it out much, I just get to writing and sometimes it gets erased, so I start over and add more details, or take something out. So I guess you could call that thinking it through. Btw, I love your name. Very appropriate, especially for this story.

**Tormented Souls** - You know, just saying update won't magically make it update, and it definitely doesn't make me write any faster. However, I do like seeing that people are enthusiastic for my story, so I can let this one slide.


	5. Chapter 5: Dreaming of Dinner

_**A.N.:** Idon't own Percy Jackson or any of the characters in this story, other than Serena and Demios. Oh, and the kitten too. We love the kitten. Anyways, on to the story!_

* * *

When Percy said 'rest up and a night on the town', Reyna didn't know what to expect. As they rode back to the house, she'd played many different scenarios through her head, each ending up with Percy holding her close while they kissed. In fact, she was so wrapped up in thought that when Percy parked the bike in the driveway, she was shocked. Had she really been thinking it over for the whole trip?

As Percy opened the door to the house, he turned to face Reyna. "I'm going to try and get some rest. I had a little run-in with the teddy terror, and I need to clear my mind. Anything you want, just help yourself." He yawned. "I'll be in my room if you need me."

He and Reyna walked in, shutting the door behind them and Percy headed to his room as Reyna moved to the couch. Throwing himself upon the bed, he fell into an instant slumber. Within minutes he was snoring softly, a sure sign he was asleep.

* * *

Reyna really had no clue as to what to do now that Percy was asleep. Sure, they were going to spend time together after he woke, but she hadn't had time to herself for sometime. It was always running from someone or trying to find somewhere to sleep for the night.

Now that she had somewhere to rest, she didn't need to worry about that anymore. But running was all she knew. She sighed and put that to the back of her mind for now. The absolute last thing she needed was to worry herself over trivial things like what to do. If worst came to worst, she'd just sleep.

The kitten walked in and mewled, looking at her with curious round eyes. She mewled again, walking into the kitchen and nudging her empty bowl. Reyna laughed, realizing that she hadn't fed the kitten before they left for the camp.

"I'm sorry, little one." Opening the pantry, she retrieved a can of tuna and opened it, pouring it into the kitten's bowl. Seeing this, the kitten rushed over and began to lap at the tuna juice before beginning to tear into the meat.

Reyna giggled, then came to a realization: she hadn't given her little friend a name yet. Leaning against the island in the middle of the kitchen, she began to mull over names. Nothing too stupid, but unique at the same time. Watching the kitten eat her food, an idea sparked in her mind. Dawn was a pretty name, and the kitten DID represent a new beginning in her life. It might have been a coincidence, but the kitten looked up and meowed at her.

Smiling, she nodded, her mind made up. The kitten's name was Dawn.

Assuming Percy woke at 3:30, Reyna would have about 4 hours to herself. Well, almost to herself. Having finished her tuna, Dawn the kitten was leaving the kitchen to investigate the living room. Smiling, she followed and lay down on the couch. Maybe she would rest as well.

Dawn climbed up next to her and curled up, nuzzling her side. A soft breathing told her that Dawn was quickly asleep, like Reyna ought to be. Slowing her breathing, Reyna brought herself to what she hoped would be a peaceful sleep, one not plagued by nightmares.

* * *

It was an instant transition from waking to sleeping, so Reyna couldn't be sure if she was dreaming or not. Until Demios and Serena showed up, that is.

Serena was the first to show, the light from her wings filling the room. _"Come,"_ She said. _"He is bound to show up soon."_

Reyna didn't need to ask who he was; the way she spoke was clear enough. Sitting up, she took Serena's outstretched hand and stood, trailing behind the angel. She didn't ask where they were going, mainly because she didn't want to know. If Serena was taking her somewhere, she'd trust her judgement.

The angel stopped at the front door, nearly making Reyna crash into her from behind. "What's the idea, stopping like that?"

Serena said nothing, just gestured to the door. Taking the hint, Reyna opened the door and walked out, or in. She couldn't tell which.

The room she'd walked into was a copy of her old foster room, at the place she'd called the Hell House. The foster parents hadn't the slightest idea how to raise a child, let alone a teen, so they assumed that she liked everything that little girls liked.

A pink bed stood in the corner, with a frilly white blanket adorning the top. The gaudy stuffed animals they'd bought were still there, in all their monstrous ugliness. The white vanity was across the room, makeup still untouched. The worst thing, however, was the person standing in the middle of the room.

The boy standing in front of her was young,with jet black hair and silver eyes. He stood in jeans and a t-shirt, holding a small teddy bear in his hands, a grey skull ring on his left hand. His name was unattainable to her mind at this point, but she knew he was trouble. Maybe it was her imagination, but it seemed as if the lights had dimmed and the stuffed animals cowered at the sight of him.

"Hello, Reyna. Don't you recognize me?" His voice held an air of menace, as if threatening her to say no. Despite that, she still said it.

"No, I don't. What the hell are you doing here?" She took a stance against him, trying to frighten him off his guard. "This is my mind, not yours."

He laughed as his face shifted. "Really?" Soon his face was nothing but a void of darkness, eyes blazing red. **_"How about now? Surely you know me in this__ form."_**

She recoiled at the sight of Demios, and Serena stepped in front of her. _"Move, young one. This is not __yet __your battle."_

Demios laughed and thrust his hands out, darkness filling the room. Serena did the same, and a blinding light filled the room, combating the darkness. Each was struggling, the other seeming to have the upper hand for a small while. Finally, Demios dropped his hands and the darkness fled, then spoke.

_**"I see you still have power, my old friend. You have won this for now, but beware; I shall return. When I do, your life will be fragile and weak."** _

He turned and disappeared, leaving Reyna confused. "How...?" She trailed off as Serena shook her head.

_"Always with the theatrics." _It sounded as if she'd known Demios for a while, not just a few weeks. _" I shall explain in due time, Reyna. For now, please tell my brother to forgive himself, as he was not responsible for my death." _

Reyna was even more confused now. "You have a brother?"

_"Of course I do. You've been staying with him for some time now." _Serena smiled, amused to see that Reyna was oblivious despite the obvious signs. _" Love is often blind, young one. It has been a long time since Percy has had someone to care for, much less love. Please take care of him." _With that she waved her hand, sending Reyna back into a peaceful slumber.

* * *

It was still another hour or two before Reyna awoke, stretching her cramped limbs. Dawn had moved above her, laying on the back of the couch. Reyna stood, stretching again before heading into the kitchen to make something to eat, and maybe some coffee.

She grabbed a loaf of bread from the pantry and a package of lunchmeat from the fridge before a search of the cabinets yielded a saucer. She then retrieved her condiments from the fridge drawers, a motley of lettuce, mayo and other sandwich necessities. A quick search of the drawers earned her a butter knife, which she used to spread the mayonnaise on the bread before adding the rest of the ingredients.

Placing her finished sandwich upon the saucer, Reyna replaced the materials she'd used and placed the knife in the sink. As she took a bite of her sandwich, she felt a chill run down her spine. It was as if somebody was watching her. Turning around, Reyna saw nobody, but she couldn't shake the feeling. Suddenly a voice spoke in her head.

_"Be calm, little one. You are not in danger." _Serena's voice rang out through her mind, calming her.

"What are you doing in my mind, Serena? Don't you have somewhere to be? Some angelic college or something?" The last part was a joke, but she didn't really like having someone else in her mind. It felt... weird.

Serena laughed before speaking. _"No, Reyna. I am here to guide you. Just call on me when you wish, and I shall speak. And no, there are no 'angelic colleges'." _

"Whatever." Reyna really didn't mind having Serena around, as long as she kept to herself. She decided to address something that had been bothering her for a while.

"Why haven't you moved on? Surely there's better things than staying down here."

Serena sighed and spoke. _"There is nothing for me to go to yet. I promised our mother that I would protect Percy until he had no need for me anymore."_

Reyna considered this. "And when will he no longer need you?"

Once again, Serena sighed. _"If I knew that, I wouldn't be here, now would I?" _With that she fell silent, and Reyna finished her snack disgruntled.

* * *

When 3:30 came, Percy was still asleep. He'd probably had a tough time dealing with the "teddy terror", so Reyna decided to let him sleep another half hour. When that came, she took action.

"Hey Serena?" Reyna thought. "Do you have any ideas as to how to wake Percy?" Serena was silent for a time, then spoke.

_"There might be an old airhorn on the top shelf of my closet. If it's not there, just dump cold water on him. He _hates _that." _

Nodding, Reyna searched her room for the mentioned airhorn. It was indeed on the top shelf, and a quick shake told her that it was mostly empty. She might get one good blast from it, then it was through. She replaced the device, deciding that she might need it another time, and went to the kitchen for a glass of water.

Having filled the glass with ice water, Reyna pushed open the door to her host's bedroom to find him fast asleep, arms sprawled above him. Smiling, she raised the water and upturned the glass. When Percy shot from the bed, it was almost hilarious, if not for the murderous expression upon his face.

"God dammit, Reyna! Why?" His voice was filled with shock.

"Take a look at the clock, seaweed brain. We're going out for dinner, aren't we?" Reyna ended the sentence with a laugh at the sight of Percy dripping wet, his hair drooping in front of his eyes.

He looked at he clock beside his bed and groaned. "4:00 already? Why didn't you wake me earlier?"

"Because you needed to sleep, and it was fun having the house to myself." She didn't mention her dream, for fear of Percy thinking she was crazy.

Dawn the kitten walked in and mewled, probably wanting to know what all the commotion was about. Casting a look at Reyna, she meowed again and walked out, sending her owner into an even bigger fit of laughter. Percy sighed and motioned for Reyna to leave his room so he could change, and much to his comfort, she obliged without any hesitation.

Closing the door behind her, Reyna moved to her own room and gathered a fresh set of clothes before heading down the hall to shower, still laughing.

* * *

Percy stood and stripped off his shirt, not wanting the water's lack of heat to spread to his body. Moving to his closet, he panned through the clothes until he found something suitable for the evening ahead: black slacks and a t-shirt, accompanied by a red and black jacket.

He pulled off the rest of his soaked clothes and changed into the dry ones, taking care to place the former in the hamper so they wouldn't get the floor wet. The dry clothes were welcome, adding warmth to his skin. Percy made a mental note to get Reyna back for that later.

For now, however, he grabbed his wallet and keys, stuffing them in his pocket before moving out to the hallway. From there he could hear the shower, which meant Reyna would be about ten or fifteen minutes. He checked in on his mom, who was passed out on her bed. Grabbing a piece of stationary from her desk, her wrote a note and left it on the door.

_"Gone out. Reyna is with me. Be back soon. _

_- Percy."_

Shutting her door, Percy wandered around the house before he realized something: he'd never finished washing the clothes he put in the night before! He made his way to the laundry room and switched the clothes, blushing duly when he pulled out the undergarments.

"I'm never going to get used to that.." he muttered under his breath.

Finishing up in the laundry room, he started the dryer in time to hear the water shut off, signaling that Reyna's shower was finished. Marching out of the room, he returned to the living room and began pacing nervously.

It'd been some time since Percy had been on a date, considering that Annabeth had never given him a second try after the disastrous first date they'd had a couple of months back. How was he supposed to know she was afraid of spiders? Pretty soon his head was filled with worries and what ifs. What if Reyna didn't like what he had planned? What if she thought he was an idiot? What if he made a fool of himself? There were so many "what ifs" that he was practically drowning in them, oblivious to his date/guest walking out to meet him.

Reyna cleared her throat, making Percy jump. She smiled. "Nice to know I still have that effect on guys." She laughed at his confused expression.

The clothes she'd picked out were simple, probably the most simple of the wardrobe left by Serena. A deep blue halter top and jeans, with the silver ring she'd won through pain on her right finger. Her eyes held a mischievous glint, as if asking for trouble.

Percy whistled softly. "Well then, are you ready?" Receiving a nod in response, he moved towards her, giving Reyna a quick once-over before entering the garage. 'Damn, she's beautiful.' He thought.

He flicked the light on, opening the garage door at the same time. Reyna appeared behind him, then gasped.

The car in front of her was impressive, making her wonder why she hadn't seen it before. Despite her limited knowledge of cars, she could tell it was vintage, or at least a very well restored one. It was a nice silver color, with a black stripe down the side. The interior was some fabric that she couldn't identify, so she didn't worry about it much.

Percy opened the passenger door, inviting her inside. Taking this in stride, she sat down and buckled, allowing Percy time to get in and start the car.

He turned to Reyna with a serious face. "I hope you like pasta." And with that he started down the driveway, a smiling, slightly giddy Reyna sitting beside him.

* * *

**A.N.**

So my friends, here's the 5th chapter in the story. I hope you all like it. The stage is set, now what shall happen next?

If anyone wants the layout of the camp and/or Percy's house, I will have the floor plans up on my deviant art account in a few days. That should make traversing the story a little easier for some of you.

Shout out time!

**The last of them all: **You won't have to wait very long for each chapter, at least until school starts. Then I won't be able to post as often.

**StygianScrewdriver: **I appreciate the praise. As I said before, this was just an idea, so its really surprising to me that this has gone so far. The realism is something I myself have to add, because every now and then I find a fic that is ridiculously unrealistic. I don't want to be one of those people. Octavian in a straitjacket really was funny, wasn't it? I've always wanted to see him in one, so I guess we all got a glimpse of my twisted imagination.

**Josedadude5: **You can count on it!

**Jazminhc: **Hey, no harm to me if you like Percabeth. I'll try to update as often as possible, but no promises.

**Guest: **The Octavian that Reyna saw is from the canon universe. When Reyna says that he's a total stranger, she's telling the truth. However, Octavian knows the Reyna from the canon universe, not the AU. And Percy's ex is of course, Annabeth.

**Serisaku:** Thank you, Serisaku. The camp was an experimental thing, but I'm glad that you liked it. The quirks are my little jokes, and I agree the Octavian segment was genius. (Not to toot my own horn, however.) The story will continue for a while, so don't worry!

Until the next update, _Senātus Populusque Rōmānus_!

-Discordian


	6. Chapter 6: Dinner and a Date

When Percy had said the word 'pasta', Reyna's heart jumped. What better way to start a date than with a bit of pasta and some garlic bread? After all, isn't that how all good dates go?

For the second time that day, she'd spent the whole ride daydreaming about how their date would go. Same results this time, but there was a feeling of satisfaction along with it. Soon her mind drifted to other, more taboo areas of a date. Needless to say, this brought a blush to her cheeks.

_"What was that about my brother you were thinking, Reyna? That he only took you in to get in your pants?" _Serena's voice sounded in Reyna's mind with a surprising amount of force, knocking her back into reality.

"Shut up, Serena," She thought back. "Besides, why would you care? Its not like you can stop me." Reyna smiled at this statement, positive that she'd won. Serena's voice was silent for a time, then spoke.

_"No, but until you gain his trust, I can guarantee that he won't do anything of the like."_ Her voice held a note of victory in it. Reyna slumped back, defeated. This didn't go unnoticed by her date, however.

"What's wrong, Reyna? I thought you were happy." Percy had parked in front of a small building labelled Scarpetta in a complex font and was leaning over the steering wheel. His eyes held a note of worry, as if he'd chosen wrong when deciding the restaurant.

A quick look in the mirror told Reyna that she'd been holding her head as if trying to contain a god. _"Or a demon." _Serena's voice sounded unbidden. Another jibe at her fear, she realized.

"I'm fine, Percy. Just some slight carsickness." A terrible lie, but it would have to do for now. "Could we go in now? I'm getting really hungry." She flashed a smile at him to emphasize the whole reason they were out.

"Sure thing." Percy jumped out and ran to the passenger side, opening Reyna's door with a sweep of the hand. "Come, milady. Your dinner awaits."

Reyna stifled a laugh at his attempted joke. However corny, she appreciated the gesture. His mother, or perhaps his father, had taught him to be a gentleman, and that was enough for her. Accepting his outstretched hand, she removed herself from the car and hooked her arm through his, eliciting a blush from Percy and a smile from Serena.

As they stepped inside the restaurant, Reyna was speechless. The building itself was nothing spectacular, but the inside was marvelous.

A mix between a Greek revival townhouse and a mansion, the Scarpetta restaurant was, well, breathtaking. A crystal chandelier hanging from the center of the room set a calm mood, and a mini-orchestra playing in the corner provided music appropriate to the setting. Despite being on violin and not piano, Reyna could tell the music being played was Chopin, Prelude Op. 28, No. 15 in D-flat major.

"It's nice. Did you pick this out yourself?" Reyna was impressed.

"Not really. I had a little help from a friend." Percy sounded ashamed, but a hug from his date removed that in an instant.

A waiter appeared to take them to a table, leading them to a table for two. Bowing, he took his leave as another waiter came to take their drink choices. Ordering a glass of tea for himself and a Pepsi for his date , Reyna and Percy sat down.

"So how do you like it? I hope I didn't make a mistake in choosing the place." Percy asked.

"No, no. It's lovely. It's definitely a place fit for a date." Reyna responded as their drinks came, along with menus. A glance told her that almost everything on it was pretty pricey, but if Percy was paying, then she could afford to choose what she wanted.

Taking a longer, closer look at the menu proved helpful. Not only was there pasta, but fish and fowl too. Among the more obscure choices was braised octopus, caviar ( a disgusted Serena cringed mentally at this ), and something called _fugu_, which was apparently some type of Japanese dish. She decided to play it safe and settled for a simple Ricotta Raviolini. Placing her menu down, she saw that Percy had been mulling over his choices, finally turning to the waiter.

"I'll take the Crispy Fritto Misto, please. And um.. If it's not too much trouble.." He motioned for the waiter to follow him into another room and slipped a twenty into his hands before whispering something into his ear. The waiter nodded and left to place the orders and pocketed the bill, leaving Percy to make his way back to the table.

When Percy sat back down, Reyna nodded in the direction of the waiter. "What was that about? Something you're not telling me?" A note of suspicion was in her voice, though her eyes told a different story. Alive with wonder, it was obvious that she wasn't mad, just curious.

"Nothing much... Just a little surprise." At this Reyna's curiosity shot through the roof.

"Really? Like what?"

Percy just smiled and shook his head, leaving his date to wonder about it until their food arrived.

* * *

After they had both finished their meals, talking a bit between bites, Reyna's curiosity got the better of her.

"Seriously, Percy. What did you tell the waiter? It most likely involves me, and therefore, I have a right to know."

Percy smiled again, only this time it was a smile of humor, not secrecy. "I suppose I should let you know, shouldn't I? Well, I guess I have no other choice." He waved towards the back of the room and a pair of waiters approached, one holding a bottle and the other bearing two champagne glasses.

"Wine? We're underage, Seaweed Brain!" Reyna suddenly didn't seem so interested in her surprise. At her outburst, however, Percy simply motioned to the pair to uncork and pour. The one holding the bottle spoke up.

"Ma'am, your date had specifically requested that this be non-alcoholic. We normally do not allow such... inconveniences... but under such circumstances, we made an exception."

At this, Reyna calmed down. Percy nodded his thanks to the waiters as they left with the bottle, leaving the two teens with the (non-alcoholic) wine.

Lifting his glass, Percy held it out in front of him and motioned for Reyna to do the same, finally taking a sip when she did. The flavor wasn't as rich as he'd imagined, but it would have to do. Reyna had apparently taken a bit more than a sip, as the expression on her face was one of unpleasantness.

"Not like juice, I take it?" The male's voice held a bit of mirth.

"Not really. It's good, but it could be better." Her thoughts were a little scrambled, and having Serena in there didn't help matters.

"Hey, Serena? Would you mind leaving for a little while? It's kind of a private moment for me, you know?" She thought to the angel in her head.

No response was given, but suddenly her head felt clearer somehow.

Percy had raised his glass again, not taking a drink but as if to make a toast. Reyna held hers likewise, waiting for Percy to say something.

"Reyna, I don't know how long it's been since I've met a girl like you. You're smart, funny, and unafraid of fighting back." He paused for a second, cherishing the blush that had crept upon her face.

"Here's to you, Reyna. Welcome to the family." With that he tapped his glass against hers, then downed the rest of the burgundy liquid. Standing, he pulled out his wallet and walked to the front of the restaurant to pay the check.

* * *

Left alone, Reyna pondered the words he'd said. 'Family' and 'girlfriend' were a long ways apart, but the way he'd said it could have been synonymous with love. Suddenly her mind was graced with Serena's presence again, leaving her not-so-alone, but still lonely.

_"So, what happened? Did he do anything worth remembering?" _ Serena's mental voice could have been described as giddy, if angels could be giddy. Reyna related the events that had transpired.

_"Ouch... My brother never had a way with words, but that sounds almost remorseful.." _ Reyna nodded, taking in the unseen entity's words.

"Is there anyway I can tell if he loves me?" She thought, sending her concerns to Serena.

_"It's in his kiss," _was all she said. When Reyna didn't respond, she sighed. _"Seriously? Cher? Come on, don't tell me you've never heard of Sonny and Cher." _ When this too failed to gain a response, the angel began singing the words.

_"Does he love me?_  
_I wanna know!_  
_How can I tell if he loves me so?"_

_"If you wanna know _  
_If he loves you so_  
_Its in his kiss!"_

When she finished the segment, she sighed. _"God, you are so hopeless."_

Reyna still didn't get the message, apparently.

_"KISS HIM, YOU MORON!" _Serena practically yelled the last word, causing Reyna to clutch her head in pain.

"Fine, fine." She shot back.

* * *

When Percy returned from paying the check, Reyna was more than happy to see him. In fact, she jumped from her seat at the sight of him, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Whoa, Reyna. What's gotten into you?" Percy asked, not quite sure of why the sudden change in attitude. At this question, however, she just smiled.

"Nothing much, just thinking of ways to thank you for such a lovely night." A slight laugh in her words served to elevate her spirits even higher than before. "Are we ready to leave?"

Nodding, Percy detached himself from the giddy female and hooked his arm in hers, leading her out the door and to the car. Opening the door, he helped Reyna inside before making his way to the driver side and hopping in.

When he shut the door, Percy turned to his date with a smile. "So, where to? We could drive around town, visit the park, or maybe even catch a movie. What sounds good?"

Reyna seemed to ponder these options for a moment, resting her chin upon her hands. Suddenly she snapped from the posture and pounced on Percy, dragging him down to the center console before placing her lips upon his, losing them both in a (unexpected, yet not refused) passionate kiss.

It was like heaven, warm and bright, yet soft and gentle at the same time. Shifting so that they were more comfortable, she pushed deeper into the kiss, encouraging Percy to do the same. He took the hint, responding with an even larger desire than she would have thought.

A slow, strong feeling passed through Reyna, chilling her to the bone before warming her soul. _"Was I right, or what?" _Serena gloated, ruining the moment. Reyna broke off, gasping for air and a smile on her face.

Percy's face was much the same, but his eyes held a crazed, manic look. He laughed, a short sharp sound, before what happened registered on his face. Slowly a smile crept on his lips.

"So that was my thanks?" Reyna nodded. "I think I should take you out for dinner more often."

Reyna laughed at this response, then blushed. "Um.. If you don't mind..." She cut herself off abruptly, shaking her head as if to rid the thought.

"What is it?" Percy asked, clearly intrigued.

"No. You'll laugh." Reyna shied away at this request, afraid of humiliating herself.

Holding up his hands, Percy spoke. "I promise, I won't laugh. Scout's honor."

"You were a scout?" she asked.

Percy laughed nervously. "Not exactly..."

This time it was Reyna's turn to laugh. "Alright, I guess. I want to see where Serena is buried, if that's alright. "

Percy's eyes shot open, taken aback. How could he laugh at that request? "Sure, anything." Starting the car, he pulled out of the restaurant driveway and maneuvered the car onto the highway, driving a good half hour before taking an exit to the right.

* * *

To the left of the street was a dark, menacing building that would have fit well in an old horror movie such as Dracula. To the right was a cemetery, with flat, ground level markers instead of the usual raised ones. Percy parked in the seemingly abandoned lot, turning off the car and getting out.

"You sure?" Reyna simply nodded. She might have his sister in her head, but that didn't mean she didn't have to pay her respects the old fashioned way, either. Walking out to the main building, the pair entered the double doors. Percy exchanged a few words with the groundskeeper, a young man named Argus, before heading out the opposite door and into the graveyard.

Two stone dogs stood at the sides of the doors they emerged from, appearing to guard something other than tombstones. Leading Reyna down a row of tombs and markers, he stopped in front of one particular marker.

This marker wasn't much different from the rest, just a stone tablet displaying the date of birth and death, along with a few words of memorandum.

**Serena Jackson  
****1992 - 2009  
Protective to the End,  
Caring from the Start**

A bouquet of flowers had been placed beside the marker, signalling that someone had visited recently. Percy knelt, examining the flowers in front of the grave before pulling something from his pocket and placing it beside them, muttering a few words under his breath.

Upon closer inspection, the object was a gem, a mixture of blue and grey. Nothing much to look at, but it must have been important to Percy for him to leave it there.

He stood, turning to Reyna. "I'll be in the car. If you need anything, just ask Argus. He knows where everything is, of course." With that he returned to the main office, the doors slamming shut behind him.

_"Finally. I thought he'd never leave. Frankly, I don't mind him visiting, but sometimes he gets a little depressing to be around. That's where you come in, Reyna._"

"What do you mean, like I'm going to cure his sadness?" A note of pain was in her voice, even more so in her thoughts.

_"Exactly. Well, not exactly, but you're going to help. He needs someone to care for, someone to love."_ Serena had explained this before, and Reyna wasn't in the mood to hear it again. Instead she just tuned her out until Serena finished. _  
_

"Are you done now?" When Serena confirmed this, Reyna continued. "You know, I did come here to pay my respects. Now if you don't mind..."

Serena harrumphed

* * *

and left, her presence leaving Reyna like a flame extinguished. With her gone, Reyna knelt in front of her grave.

She didn't quite know what to say, but she did the best she could. She told the stone all that had happened since she'd met Percy, her feelings and thoughts on him. She felt ridiculous talking to the gravestone when she knew that Serena had seen all that had transpired, but it eased her soul. She ended the one-sided conversation with a simple thought.

"I love him."

* * *

Back in the car, Percy reviewed the night's events. Everything had gone well, even when Reyna had her outburst over the nonalcoholic wine. He'd had some suspicions about her feelings for him, and whether or not she was simply using him for a free ride.

When she'd kissed him in the parking lot, however, all his suspicions had been swept away. There was no way that someone could put that much emotion into a kiss and fake it. He smiled, coming to a conclusion.

A tap at the window told him that Reyna had returned. He checked the dashboard clock; 7:39. She'd spent over an hour at the grave. He opened the door, letting Reyna in as a few drops of rain began to fall against the windshield. She shut the door before any rain could enter the vehicle, sitting beside Percy silently.

"So... Good time with my sister?" Percy asked in a feeble attempt to make conversation.

"Yeah, for the most part." Reyna replied.

A couple minutes passed before either of them spoke, and when they did it was simultaneously.

"Percy, I-"

"Listen, Reyna-"

They stopped, then laughed. Percy was the first to speak again.

"Listen, Reyna, I did a little thinking while you were gone. I didn't think it was possible to feel any emotion other than rage and hatred, but I do." He paused, blushing furiously. "Reyna, I love you."

Blushing, Reyna pulled him towards her and kissed him softly before pulling apart and smiling like the Cheshire Cat.

"I love you too, Percy."

* * *

**A.N. **

****Finally, a new chapter! This hasn't been easy for me, and I can't imagine how you guys feel. Anyways, I should have chapters up sooner now that school is back in, but I can't promise that I'll be consistent.

Shout out time!

**MortalFantasy0002 : *bows* **My humblest thanks, MortalFantasy. This story definitely has gotten more praise than I ever hoped, but I agree, there should be more. (That may just be my pride speaking, but who cares? An author can take pride in his story, right?) I chose the name Dawn because it represents a new beginning in both Percy and Reyna's life, not to mention a new spin on the whole canon storyline. Demios with the teddy was a little bit of a giveaway, but you never know, right? I can tell you that a bunch of old friends (and possibly enemies) will be seen, so each chapter will hold a new surprise.

**Tormented Souls : **Yeah, I tend to use a lot of references from stories and/or shows that I like. SPQR is just one of the many, but I might have more in the future.

Also, I've been having a few issues getting the floor plans for the house and camp up, so those will have to wait a little bit longer. :( Sorry guys.

Until the next update, _Senātus Populusque Rōmānus!__  
_

_- _Discordian


	7. Chapter 7: Playing with Fire

The drive home was fairly pleasant, with the events of that night still fresh in Reyna's mind. However, when Percy pulled into the driveway, Reyna couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched. The falling rain really didn't help matters, limiting her vision severely.

Percy exited the car first, moving around to the back to grab an umbrella from the trunk. Opening the back of the car, he reached in and felt around for the umbrella before pulling it out. He turned around and was heading for the passenger side when a car pulled up behind him, blinding him with their headlights.

Shielding his eyes, Percy approached the uninvited car and rapped on the window.

"Hey buddy, mind parking somewhere else?"

In response, the window began to pull down. Inside were three of the same guys that he'd given a thrashing to the other night. Percy recoiled. He could only guess why they were here, but he had a feeling it wasn't going to be pretty.

"What the hell- " Percy broke off as the driver's door was thrust open, shoving him away from the car. The back doors opened and two fighters emerged alongside the driver.

Standing, Percy took up a defensive stance, feet apart and arms raised. Keeping all three within his line of sight would be a challenge in itself, even if it wasn't raining.

An audible click came from his left, the sound of his passenger door opening. He snapped his head in the direction of the car and yelled.

"Stay in the car, Reyna!" Maybe there was a little bit too much force in that, but it would have to do.

The door slammed shut, a sign that she'd heard him. He turned back to the approaching fighters, the falling rain silhouetting their figures. One stepped forward with his fists clenched while the other two flanked Percy.

Keeping the middle fighter in front of him, he pressed forward until his opponent was trapped against the car door. A few half-hearted punches made contact with Percy, but none did any significant damage.

"You just don't know when to give up, do you?" he asked, feigning a right strike.

As expected, the trapped fighter moved left, only to receive a blow to the solar plexus, courtesy of Percy's knee. He crumpled to the ground, his body going limp.

Turning around, Percy faced the two who had split from the first, sizing up the competition. The one on the right was one half of the double team combo, the boxer. The left was the one who had taunted him, running instead of fighting.

He rushed the boxer, jumping at the last second to tackle the fighter to the ground, pinning his arms beneath his torso. His mouth moved, probably shouting some taunt or something, but whatever it was became lost in a clap of thunder. Percy drew back his fist and struck, the first blow knocking him unconscious. More punches were thrown, each bringing a new scar or bruise to the boxer's body.

He felt a jerk on the back of his shirt, probably the other fighter trying to remove him from his friend.

He turned and cocked a fist, only to come face to face with Reyna, who was screaming in his ear.

"Stop it, Percy! This isn't like you, you're better than this!" She gripped his face between her hands and stared disbelievingly at her friend. "You're scaring me, Percy."

Percy dropped his fists and laughed, a cold, sinister sound that echoed throughout the rainy night. The laugh quickly turned to a cackle, and Reyna pulled her hands back. This definitely was not Percy. At least, not the one she knew.

"You're not Percy." she whispered. "Who are you?"

The figure in front of her laughed as he stood and spread his arms in a welcoming gesture. Or rather, it would have been welcoming had there been any trace of love in the voice that followed.

"Come on, Reyna! It's not rocket science, you know." He spread his arms wider, motioning for Reyna to take in her surroundings.

She stepped back and shook her head, not wanting to give this terror the pleasure of seeing her afraid. The figure just laughed.

"I thought it might come to this." he scowled. "You can't ignore it, Reyna. Look around you!"

Again she shook her head, a slight motion before an unseen force snapped it back into place. Against her will Reyna looked at the scene, her head moving of it's own accord.

Her home, Percy's home, was on fire, an impossibility in this heavy rain. How had she not noticed it?

Scattered about the lawn were various people she had met since Percy came along: Brunner, Mr. D, even the waiter who had spoken to her that night. The worst was Mrs. Jackson, who was sprawled out on the blazing grass, her neck and arms bent at impossible angles. Her eyes held a mixture of regret and accusal, asking Reyna, "How could you?".

Reyna's head turned back to the figure before her.

No longer did the boy resemble Percy, but instead he looked like the boy from her dream. Same jet black hair, silver eyes, even the skull ring was there. The only thing that changed was a tattoo on his arm, Roman Numeral 7: VII.

He was ignoring her, instead choosing to gaze down at the person at his feet. Reyna's eyes dropped to the fallen teen.

The boy on the ground was familiar, though she couldn't place where she'd seen him before. Not with him lying face-down in the grass and mud. The longer she stared, though, the harder it was to look away. Try as she might, Reyna couldn't take her eyes off of the mysterious figure on the ground.

Smiling, the boy nudged the body on the ground, rolling it over and revealing the face. Reyna gasped, her hands flying up to her mouth and began to cry.

Lying on the ground was Percy, covered in blood.

* * *

**A.N. **

So guys, thanks for supporting me. I know this is a big cliffhanger, but I feel that this scene needed to be split into two chapters. With everything that's been going on lately, it's nice to know that people still care about stories. I'll do shoutouts next chapter so I can focus on Serena's story. Senatus Populesque Romanus!


	8. Chapter 8: A Fine Line

**A.N. **

**Hey guys, Discordian here. I'm going to start doing the shout outs in the beginning of the chapter, mostly to answer questions better and give a few hints. **

**MortalFantasy0002 - Yeah, you're right. It could be improved, and I'm trying to work on that. Perhaps you could become my Beta? Anyways, yeah. The past chapter was all in Reyna's head. To be clear, there are no mythical elements in the story, but a few supernatural ones (such as Serena). (Have fun with that.)**

**Anyways, on to the Chapter!**

* * *

**Chapter 8: A Fine Line Between Dreams and Nightmares**

* * *

Reyna stepped back shaking her head before dropping to the ground. The youth in front of her nodded slowly, then spoke.

"I see... So this is what you're afraid of." He shrugged. "Typical."

With a wave of his hand he vanished, leaving Reyna to weep over Percy's bloody body.

* * *

**_Somewhere else_**

Punching the speed-dial, Percy held his phone up to his ear, frantically pacing his room.

Reyna was asleep on his bed, tossing and turning in her sleep. She'd fallen asleep on the way home, and whereas last night she was at peace, now the raven-haired girl's face was a sea of emotions. As he watched, Reyna's face twisted into despair. He grimaced.

The phone on the other line rang, then rang a second time. No answer.

"Come on, pick up!"

The phone rang a third time before it's owner answered.

_"Look dude, I don't care what you're selling, because it's not worth waking me up at 11:00 at night."_

Percy let out a breath he didn't know he'd held.

"Clovis, it's Percy."

The voice on the other end brightened.

_Percy! Long time, no talk, man. How's Annabeth?"_

Percy waved away the question. "Not important. Look, I need your help. Can you be at my place in 15 minutes?"

_"Sure thing man. Be right there." _With that, the line went dead.

Percy hung up and resumed pacing, looking at Reyna from time to time. Unable to calm himself, he sat down by Reyna's side and began stroking her hair.

"Don't worry, Reyna, I'm here."

* * *

**_With Reyna_**

_"Don't worry, Reyna, I'm here."_

The voice came from somewhere, though Reyna couldn't tell which direction. It almost sounded like it came from everywhere at once.

_"I love you Reyna, and I won't let anything bad happen to you."_

A tear fell from Reyna's eye, shocking her. How could a single voice have this effect on her?

She looked around, trying to figure out where the voice was coming from. Nobody was around that she could see. In fact, nothing was around her. It was all... Empty. Percy's body was gone, as was the burning house. As far as she could tell, there was nothing, and had always been nothing.

She stood, gazing at the void surrounding her. There was nothing, not even light, but yet she could see.

"Hello?" She called out, hoping for an answer of some sort. A laugh filled the purgatorial space, piercing her mind.

**_"So you still live. I'm surprised, I'd have thought you'd been scared to death by now."_**

"What the -? Who's there?" Reyna was regretting calling out now, but nothing could be done. The laugh sounded again, louder this time.

_**"You know, it amazes me that you still continue with this charade. You know who I am, Reyna. I am your fear, your pain. Everything you are is mine. You cannot escape, no matter how hard you try."** _

The disembodied voice cut off, leaving Reyna to ponder who or what this creepy voice could be.

* * *

**_Percy's room, 11:15pm_**

Fifteen minutes later, Clovis was standing in Percy's room, looking down at Reyna. He tsked.

Clovis, with his blonde hair and wedge-like head, looked much like a baby cow. He was stocky, but he looked like he hadn't worked out in a while. Knowing Clovis, this was probably true.

"What's the deal, Clove?" Percy was pacing again, wearing a hole in the carpet.

Clovis looked up from Reyna and yawned, causing Percy to yawn as well.

"Well, as far as I can tell, she's fine. Just a little bit of malnourishment, and a couple bruises. Probably a lot of sleep deprivation, too. What happened?"

Percy sighed, then pulled the chair out from his desk and motioned to it. Clovis sat down obligingly.

"It's a long story. To put it simply, I was returning from a party and overheard someone beating the shit out of her. I went to help, she thanked me and ran off." He continued into the story of how Reyna came to live with him.

Clovis nodded, keeping track of what happened while asking a question every now and then.

"We were coming back from Serena's site when she fell asleep, and she's been thrashing about for the last 3 hours." He rubbed a spot on his chest. "She managed to kick me in my ribs, man. You know how much that hurts?"

The seated boy nodded. "Well, most I can say is that she's having a night terror." He paused, then took out a pen and notepad form his jacket and wrote something down. Ripping it out, he handed the paper to Percy.

"What's this?"

"Something I've tried. Works like a charm." He yawned again. "Have her take one of these each night before bed, and she should be nightmare-free."

"Thanks. Now, would you mind keeping an eye on her while I run and get this?"

Clovis gave a slight nod, whether from exhaustion or agreement he couldn't tell. He took it to mean yes, though.

"Thanks again." He turned to Reyna and planted a kiss on her forehead. "I'll be back soon."

With that he turned out the door and exited the house, making his way to the nearest pharmacy for the recommended treatment.

* * *

**_Reyna's Mind, unknown time_**

_"I'll be back_ soon._" _

The first voice was back, only to leave again.

"No, don't leave!" Reyna was chasing in the direction of the voice, but to no avail. She sat back down and cried. "Why?"

The second voice had left her eons ago, it seemed. However, it's words still rang in her ears. 'You know who I am.'

When the first voice spoke, she felt happy, maybe even giddy. That voice was obviously good. The second voice... Not so much. When it spoke she felt fear, resentment, and hatred spring up inside her. That voice was bad, she knew that much.

She sat up and pondered his last words. Fear and pain... She remembered reading something like that, a god of fear and terror. If she was afraid, then it was all in her mind. All she needed to do was believe that she was okay, that nothing was wrong.

She closed her eyes and slowed her breathing, trying to imitate sleep. Reaching deep into her heart, she pulled up the pain and discarded it.

As she did this, Reyna was surprised to feel her heart grow lighter. Could it be that it really was all in her mind? She reached back into her heart and dug around for her fears.

Fear was not an uncommon thing, she had learned. Everyone had it. You just had to find it.

Mentally moving a few objects, Family, Peace, and Joy among other things, she was surprised to find her fear hiding behind something she'd never had suspected: Love. The ball of fear radiated malice, causing her to jerk back to reality.

Feeling disheartened, she delved into her heart for another try.

* * *

**_Percy's room, 11:37pm_**

Percy entered the room holding a pair of bottles in his hands. One was Melatonin, the herb that Clovis had recommended. The other was a bottle of Coca-Cola, to help him stay awake until Reyna woke. The coke was already open, and a decent amount had been downed.

Clovis was asleep on the chair, snoring softly. Percy smirked and sat beside Reyna, setting both bottles down upon the nightstand. Opening the Coke, he took a swig and set the bottle down, then opened the herbs and placed one beside the bottle.

"I'm back, Reyna. Please, wake up.." He trailed off as her eyes fluttered. "Come on, Reyna."

The little kitten she'd brought with her wandered into the room, meowed at Percy, then jumped up onto the bed beside Reyna. Nudging her hand, the kitten rubbed against Reyna's arm, circling her hand before laying down on it. She meowed at Percy again.

"What? What am I supposed to do?" he asked. The kitten just blinked. "It's not like this is a fairy tale or something, you know. I can't just -" He stopped, realizing what he was doing. "Look at me. I'm talking to a cat."

The kitten meowed, probably in protest.

"What?" Another meow. He sighed, then took another swig of Coke. "Whatever."

Reyna stirred again, a hopeful sign. Percy sat back and watched, hoping she'd wake soon.

* * *

_**Reyna's mind, Unknown Time**_

The voice was back. The good one, thankfully, but she was glad to have it.

_"I'm back, Reyna. Please, wake up.." _A pause, then it continued. _"Come on, Reyna."_

"I'm trying!" She wanted to scream, but her voice was lost in tears of joy.

She reached into her heart for a third time, feeling her way around for the ever-growing ball of fear. Mentally grabbing the offending article, she wrestled with it before wrenching it from her being, thrusting it as far away from her as possible.

Surprisingly, she didn't wake.

"That was disappointing." Well, at least her voice was back. Not only that, but she'd remembered who was tormenting her: she was.

While searching her heart, Reyna had come to a conclusion: If fear is just a part of you, then even if that fear manifests itself, it is still you. It cannot hurt you, no matter how much it tries.

"Alright, I'm ready to wake up!" she yelled. No response, vocal or otherwise.

She growled. Why couldn't she wake? It's not that hard to get rid of a nightmare, is it?

A slight pain began in her head, slowly at first, but it grew in intensity. Within minutes Reyna felt like her head would split. She fell to the ground clutching her head before blacking out.

* * *

**_Percy's room, About__ Midnight_**

Percy was drifting off to sleep. Slowly, of course, but still drifting. He had long since exhausted his coke and stash of sugary Twinkies, and was now coming down off of a serious sugar high.

His head dipped, dropping into a slight state of sleep before jerking back upright. He had to be awake when Reyna woke.

The kitten had fallen asleep on Reyna's hand, and was now stretching, haven woken up. Reyna'a eyes fluttered for the umpteenth time, signaling an unfulfilled hope. At least, for now anyways.

Percy smiled and began stroking her hair, an action that calmed him, strangely enough. Reyna began to stir, and his breath caught.

"Reyna?" he ventured.

Her eyes opened, slowly at first, but opened fully at the sight of her host and sat up. "Hey seaweed brain."

Percy grabbed her and pulled Reyna into an embrace. "Don't ever do that to me again, love."

"What? Fall asleep?" She was confused. How long had she been out?

"No, kick my ribs." He pulled up his shirt to show the bruise she'd unconsciously given him. Reyna laughed, then blushed.

"Sorry. Nightmares, you know?" She then noticed Clovis sleeping in the chair. "Who's the calf?"

"A friend. I needed a little help." He left it at that. "So, still need some sleep?"

Reyna blushed more intensely now. "Yeah.. Nightmares don't really do much for me."

Nodding, Percy reached for the pill he'd set aside earlier. Handing it to Reyna, he smiled. "Take this. It should help you sleep." She did as instructed and he yawned for the millionth time that night. "I know I need some sleep."

Smiling, Reyna patted the bed beside her. "It is big enough for two, you know."

He laughed. "That it is." With that he cut the lights and crawled under the blanket, curling up next to Reyna and Dawn the kitten.

"I love you Percy." Reyna whispered. Unfortunately for her, Percy was already asleep. She smiled and shut her eyes, drifting off into the best sleep she'd had in months.

* * *

**A.N. **

**So guys, have a little fun with this one. The Kronos Procedure will be over in a few days, so what should happen? **

**Anyways, review. What did you like, what not. Same old, same old. **

**Until the next update: ****_Senātus Populusque Rōmānus_ , my friends. **

**- Discordian**


	9. Notice of Hiatus

Hey guys, Discordian here.

It's been a while since I've updated, and I never thought it would come to this point.

You guys have been extremely kind, giving reviews and pointing out what could be better. However, as much as I'd like to continue this story, I simply can't. At least not now, anyways.

Right now I have a bunch of things in my personal life that need taken care of before I can update No More Nightmares any further, so until I get those sorted out, the story is taking a rest.

I'm putting it on hiatus for now, but please keep checking every so often; I never know when I might update.

Until then,

Senatus Populusque Romanus.

- Discordian


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